Testimony
by NevadaRose
Summary: Kitty's the only eye witness to a murder, but someone's determined to see she doesn't testify. The story takes place just after the fifth season episode "Kitty's Injury". Warning: This story contains a stagecoach ride. Just sayin'.
1. Chapter 1: A Little Trouble

Chapter One: A Little Trouble

Kitty Russell was almost well, which meant that Doc still wanted her in bed a few more days after her injury out at the Judson homestead, and that Kitty was tired of lying around and ready to be back to work. She started out by spending the morning at the desk in her room doing the books and catching up on the orders, inventory, and deposits that Bill Pence had made while she was out of commission. By the time that was done, she decided to get dressed and go down for the afternoon shift at the saloon. Matt Dillon looked over the top of the batwing doors to the Long Branch to see her standing at the end of the bar having a drink - with Doc Adams sputtering angrily beside her.

"I'm not going to work through the evening, Doc," she told him, "But I'm tired of sitting upstairs doin' nothin'. I just want to see what's happening and I'll go to bed early and let Bill close up."

"You're not well enough to even be standing up, young lady," Doc railed, "Now I want you back in bed or I'll go get Matt to carry you up and put you there!"

"Someone mention my name?" Matt said walking into the bar room and heading towards his feuding friends.

"Matt, I'm glad you're here…" started Doc, but Matt ignored him.

"Hello, Kitty," he said with a big smile for the redhead leaning on the bar in front of him. "Nice to see you back among the living."

"Now that's just exactly what I…" Doc began, but Kitty interrupted him with a warm smile up at the Marshal towering over her.

"Hello, Matt. I was gettin' a little bored so I thought I'd come down and see what was going on," she said.

Matt moved past Doc as if the smaller man wasn't even there, and laid a big hand very lightly against the small of Kitty's back. "Let's go on over and sit down, Kitty," he said, "I was hoping to talk to you."

"Sure, Matt." Kitty responded, and threw over her shoulder, as Matt led her to a table at the back of the room, "Clem, would you bring the Marshal a beer?"

Doc Adams followed them to the table, but when the couple continued to ignore both him and his comments he finally turned away, shaking his head and muttering dire predictions about patients who didn't follow the excellent advice of their personal physicians. But as he exited the Long Branch he swiped a hand across his mustache and stopped trying to hide the grin that played over his lips. Kitty would do just as well sitting quietly with Matt as she would sitting alone in her room. Better probably. He thought a little of the aborted journey the two had been taking when a snake caused Kitty's horse to throw her. She'd hit her head hard and the concussion had been fairly serious, but he regretted almost as much the fact that the two of them had needed to come back to town without having the private time together that they had obviously been seeking. Doc stomped up the stairs to his office hoping that at least Matt and Kitty would get some time together on this quiet September afternoon.

Back in the Long Branch, Matt sat close enough to Kitty to let his leg rest against hers under the table, but kept his hands busy with his beer mug on the table top. "You really feelin' better, honey?" he asked softly, the endearment slipping out without him even noticing.

Kitty kept her face straight but let her eyes smile up at him. "I really am, Matt. A little tired still, and my head still aches just a bit, but I think I'm ready to start doing things again," she replied, "And I'm sure ready to see someone other than Doc." Her lashes lowered over the blue of her eyes and then raised again as she looked at him very directly.

"Is that an invitation?" Matt inquired.

"It is," she told him. "I've been missing you, Matt."

His hand rested on her forearm for just a moment. "I'll come by tonight before Bill closes up," he promised. The tension that had built just a little between them as they talked seemed to ease. Kitty sat back in her chair and told him about how Bill had messed up the books in the days she'd been out of commission, and Matt talked about what was going on in town and how, despite the lateness of the season, he still expected two more herds through in the next week.

"You think it will be rowdy, Matt?" she asked, a little concerned.

"They're Texans, Kitty," he snorted, "It's bound to be rowdy, but the herds are fairly small, and I don't think they'll be here at the same time. Do you have enough folks working that you can manage without being on the floor for a couple of evenings?"

She nodded. "I can roll my way over Doc in the afternoons, Matt," she said, "But I wouldn't want to try it late at night." She frowned a little, "I need to have a word with Bill about being sure all the cowboys are gone before he closes down at night."

"That been a problem, Kitty?" Matt asked, trying to keep the question casual.

"Well, it has, Matt," she admitted, "I don't like to complain, but unless I keep a close eye on things Bill is likely to leave one or two cowboys up there with the girls for the night, and I don't like knowing there's men walking free in the Long Branch after hours. It's caused trouble a time or two."

Matt frowned, "What kind of trouble, Kitty?"

Kitty shook her head, "Nothing too serious, Matt. Couple of times someone has gone out and left a door unlocked, and once a cowboy finished with Mariah and went looking for a little something extra from one of the other girls. Ol' Amos kept things in hand upstairs during the summer, but I let him go the first of September – didn't expect any more herds through this late, and the locals are pretty well behaved." She took a deep breath and let it out. "I know the other saloons don't bother clearing the men out at closing, but they've usually got a couple of gents living on the premises, and, well, once Bill goes home, we don't."

Matt laid a casual arm across the back of her chair, and his hand stroked lightly up and down her back for just a moment. "We'll just make sure it's easy for you to call the marshal if there's a problem tonight."

Kitty kept her face straight but her eyes danced. "Mighty kind of you, Marshal Dillon."

They sat in light conversation for another half hour, longer than Matt usually got to spend with her, before she rose and went back to the bar to help Clem with the customers, and Matt exited the saloon with a tug at his hat and a friendly, "See ya' later, Kitty."

OoOoO

That was the evening that Spike Marlow began working his way through the girls at the Long Branch. Kitty took a supper break, but came down at seven for a couple of hours. She didn't stand in her usual place at the bar, but sat at a table just inside the door, and visited with one or another of the locals who were happy to buy a drink and spend a little time with the prettiest woman in the room. Kitty noticed Marlow right off, because he was working his way from one girl to another, a handsome, smiling lady's man who was clearly there not for drinking or gambling, but for the girls. Miss Kitty's girls were some of both the prettiest and the best behaved in town. Not all of them took customers upstairs, but most did from time to time. She saw him walk up with Stella about eight, and then back down at quarter of nine.

Bypassing Bill's reluctance, Kitty had a word with Sam and Clem before she went to bed, and got their promise to check the premises, including the girls' rooms, for guests before they locked up.

It was a quiet night and when Matt came by a little before midnight, Bill and Clem had both gone home leaving Sam to sweep up the leavings, including a pair of tipsy cowhands and Spike Marlow, flirting with Ellen Sue at a back table. The drovers were easy, but Spike wasn't interested in leaving, and Matt finally took a hand. "Bar's closing, mister."

Matt watched as the man's eyes shifted to the badge on his chest, and then up, far up, to where the tall lawman loomed over the table where he was sitting. "The young lady and I were just heading upstairs, Marshal," he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I told him already, Marshal," Sam commented from across the room, "No customers after closing time."

Matt let his hands rest possessively on Ellen Sue's shoulders for a moment and then helped her up from her chair, "You go on up, Ellie. Plenty of time for more business tomorrow if you're interested." Ellen Sue stroked her hand lightly up the Marshal's arm and then, with a smile at Spike, she headed upstairs. Accepting Matt's assistance with just the right show of warmth was a familiar game for Kitty's girls, and they understood how to play it. And if they didn't know just where that game started and ended, then they didn't last long at Kitty's establishment. The man's lips turned up again, but there was anger in his eyes as he strode across the room and left the doors swinging behind him.

It was only a few minutes before Sam blew out all but the last lamp and followed Spike Marlow out onto the boardwalk. Matt locked the front door, something he'd been doing on and off for several years, and then, thinking on Kitty's comments earlier in the day, he walked through the office and storeroom, and checked the cellar door and all the outside doors before he turned the lamp low and headed up the stairs. A figure met him at the top, before he turned towards Kitty's room.

"Thank you, Marshal," came a woman's voice, pitched low.

"He bothering you, Ellie?" Matt asked in a normal tone. He'd have been foolish if he hadn't known there were at least a few listeners.

Her shrug was a wisp of motion in the dimness of the hallway. "He didn't like it when I said no, Matt. He'd already been up with Stella this evening, and, well, I don't take customers upstairs. I'm gonna marry Johnny soon as we get our stake." Her hand reached out to him, just a little, but he didn't touch it.

"You tell Kitty tomorrow, Ellie. She'll steer him clear." Matt told her.

"Goodnight, Matt."

"Goodnight, Ellie."

Matt turned and walked down to the end of the hall and through the curtain that led to Kitty's private hallway and door. He tapped lightly before turning the knob. Kitty was waiting for him in the brass bed, lying naked, awake but sleepy. He locked the door behind him and went to sit by her. She rolled over and he took the hint to stroke her back and rub her neck. "Head still hurting?" he asked.

"Not much," she replied, humming a little at the feel of his hands on her neck and in her hair. "Mmmm. That's good."

Matt leaned over to lay his lips softly against the side of her neck. "You want to just visit, Kitty, or you want me to stay?" he asked, hands still moving on her.

"I want you to stay." She rolled back over and caught his hands to lay them against her breasts.

He chuckled a little, low in his throat, and cupped the fullness of her bosom with both hands. It only took a minute or two to remove his boots and clothes. He blew out the lamp and came back to the bed. Kitty lifted the covers to invite him in and moved into his arms as he lay down beside her. She nibbled his neck a little before asking, "Who were you talking to in the hall?"

"Ellen Sue. Fella was determined if he stayed long enough she'd take him up to bed. Sam told him he was closing down, but he didn't seem to listen." Matt's fingers traced the outline of her ear, remembering it bleeding after her fall, and then went back to softly rubbing her neck.

Kitty sighed, "But he took a hint from the Marshal?"

She felt Matt shrug where her head lay on his chest. "No one seems to want to argue with me over a girl, Kitty."

"Need me to talk to Ellie?" Kitty asked.

"Nope. She knows the score." Ellen Sue dropped quickly from his mind as he turned Kitty to spoon against him, hands on her breasts, lifting their soft weight before running his palms against her nipples, feeling them tighten against his hands and then his fingers. "You sure you feel well enough for this, Kitty?"

Kitty wiggled her bottom back against where she felt his rising hardness. "Well, I suppose we could just try it out for an hour or so and see if I felt like stopping," she suggested.

"We'll just see how well you do with that," Matt laughed low against her hair, reaching down to fondle lightly between her legs with one hand, letting his fingers skim over her, rubbing just a single stroke against her hooded pearl. She tried to lie still, letting his hands tease her, but it wasn't long before her hips were moving against his slow hand and she was gasping just a little.

"Matt, we do have to be careful tonight." She managed to get that out, but his mouth was on her neck, and there were no more words left, just soft sounds and little moans.

"I can do that, Kitty. Relax. Don't worry." He lifted her knee up towards her waist and ran his fingers down to circle her wet opening before entering her slowly, returning his hand to rub against her, and matching that slow rhythm with his hips.

They held it as long as they could manage, and it was Kitty who finally put a hand down to stop him. "Matt, I can't… can't wait... you know… you know what…" Her voice was breathless and intense. Matt let himself push hard twice, three times, and then pulled out of her to spill against her thighs, his hand moving harder and faster against her, hearing her wordless cry and wishing he were still inside her to feel her muscles clutch him as she spent. They lay breathless and silent, tight against each other. Eventually, Matt reached over for his edge of the sheet and wiped the wetness of his seed from her skin.

Kitty turned in his arms, reaching her face up to his lips. "Do you have to go?" she asked.

Matt kissed her mouth, before he told her, "Not until first light." He moved his lips languidly against her face, her throat.

"Someday, I swear," she said, "We're going to manage a whole night, together, in a bed, with nothing to think about except each other."

"I was kind of hoping for that when we were riding out to Salt Creek." Matt told her.

"Yeah, I know," she said with a sigh, "I didn't tell anybody that Ted and Mary would be in Missouri while I was visiting their place." She snuggled against him, "Matt, you really are good to me."

He stroked her hair. "Now where did that come from, sweetheart?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"You put up with so much to be with me. And you look out for my girls. And you… you always manage to…" she stopped without finishing, and then finally went on, "And I know it's better for you when you don't have to do that." She stopped again, and her voice in the darkness sounded almost shy, "And it's better for me too."

His first temptation was to make light of it, but he didn't. She deserved an answer even though there hadn't actually been a question. "Kitty, neither of us wants a baby right now. Nothing's sure, but we can at least try. I promised you that years ago, honey. It's not such a big thing, is it? And it's not all the time." He hesitated, running his hands over her warm skin, "I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't be with you, Kitty."

And that was a little too much, even for darkness and the intimacy after their loving. She hugged him, and yawned, settled sleepily against his shoulder. "Wake me before you go, Matt. And use the side door. Doc would kill me if he saw you coming out the back."

His chuckle was the last thing she heard as she settled into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Big Trouble

Chapter Two: Big Trouble

Spike Marlow stayed out of the Long Branch the following day, but word on the street had it that he'd worked his way through all four of the saloon girls at the Lady Gay. It was getting to be something of a joke on Front Street – enough so that when Spike showed up the day after and invited Mariah for a little private entertainment during the afternoon, Kitty made a point of talking to both her and to Stella afterwards. The girls assured her that the man wasn't demanding anything dangerous or unusual, and that there was even some reason behind his nickname.

"Though not as much as he'd like to think," Mariah laughed, "He's pretty proud of it though. Thinks he's God's gift to women. He paid up without a problem, Miss Kitty, but he did kind of act like maybe we should be paying him instead."

Stella, a little older and a little keener, just commented, "It's like he's working his way through a list, Miss Kitty. Oh, he likes it all right, but he sure doesn't make a girl feel special. I'd put money down that he wants both Gabby and Ellen Sue tonight." She hesitated a moment, and Kitty encouraged her with a direct look. "Well, Miss Kitty, you might want to talk with Ellie. He pushed her pretty hard night before last, and you know she's not going to say yes. I think there might be trouble there."

Kitty nodded and let the girls get back to work. It was going to be a busy night with Texas drovers in town, and the last thing she needed was trouble from Spike Marlow. She had planned on making it an early night, but by midnight she knew that was impossible. The marshal had already had to break up a gunfight, sending one cowboy up to Doc and the other to jail, and there'd been two fist fights over poker games and one over whether Stella's eyes were blue or grey. The Long Branch was about as busy as she'd ever seen it.

By the time the saloon closed a little after three, Kitty was about to drop. Stella had headed off to her boarding house with Clem as an escort, and Kitty left Sam and Bill to clean up and close while she herded Ellie and Mariah upstairs. Knowing Marlow had been with the girl earlier, Kitty walked her tired feet down the hall to check on Gabrielle.

"He left half an hour ago, Miss Kitty," Gabby said. "I told him he had to be out before things closed up." The pretty blonde stretched and yawned, before giving Kitty a grin, "It was that busy tonight I was glad to get off my feet, and he really did want to take his time, ma'am."

"Half an hour ought to be enough, Gabby," Kitty commented, trying to keep her voice stern but not succeeding very well.

"That's what I told him, Miss Kitty, but, well, he paid double." Gabby indicated the two gold pieces sitting on the dresser. She shrugged. "Seemed a little odd to me, 'cause he didn't really stay that long, but I'm not arguing with being paid two for one."

Kitty looked at the coins shining in the light from the hallway door. No tip, just two five dollar gold pieces, not stacked but lying side by side. Kitty kept her prices high to discourage casual trade, and two fees for one night did seem odd. But then, Spike Marlow seemed an odd fish all around. Working his way through all the available girls at the Lady Gay and the Long Branch was pretty expensive. She wondered where he was getting the money. But her feet hurt too much to wonder for long, and half an hour found her tucked into her own bed and asleep when the screaming started.

Kitty wrenched open the drawer of her nightstand and pulled out the loaded six gun. Without stopping for a shawl or robe she ran down the hall in her nightdress. Mariah and Gabby were already pounding on Ellen Sue's door when she got there, but it was locked from the inside. The screaming had been replaced by a desperate weeping that cut off suddenly. Kitty issued her orders as she aimed her gun. "Mariah, you and Gabby go open the front door. Stay together." She shot off the lock. It took her three bullets. She knew that the sound of gunfire would bring Matt and Chester on the run from the jailhouse – prisoners or no prisoners. Taking up the small lamp from the hallway stand in her left hand, Kitty pushed open the door with her bare foot.

Spike Marlow had Ellen Sue down on the bed with a pillow across her face. He turned towards Kitty, clothes disarranged, but face as calm as if he'd just ordered a drink at the bar. "I told her I'd paid up earlier, but she just wouldn't hush. No need for her to make such a fuss." His voice turned a little petulant, "I didn't hurt her none. I just had to quiet her down."

Kitty kept the gun rock steady on his chest, eyes flicking towards the still body lying on the bed. "You stand right where you are, mister, or I will most surely shoot you," she said, voice like frozen metal.

"Why you want to shoot me, woman? This is a whore house, and I just had me a whore. Bought and paid for, just like that other girl." Marlow said reasonably, reaching down towards his pants.

"Leave 'em." Kitty demanded. "Don't you move an inch, and keep those hands high." There were steps now, pounding across the barroom floor and then on the stairs. Marlow made a sudden move towards the window, and Kitty shot him just as Matt Dillon, Chester stumping behind him, pulled to a halt behind where Kitty stood in the doorway. She tried to move out of the way, but between the lamp, the pistol, and the three of them, Marlow was through the window and rolling down the roof before Matt even got into the room. Both men headed back down the stairs to give chase, and Kitty set the lamp down on Ellen Sue's dresser and made her way to the bed. When Doc arrived a few minutes later he found Kitty sitting on the edge of the bed with tears rolling soundlessly down her cheeks and Ellie, her face blue and eyes gaping, lying beside her. The stink of death permeated the room.

Doc wrapped Kitty in a shawl and drew her out into the hallway. "I'm going to need to examine her, Kitty, but I want Matt to see this first, just the way it is. You see who did this?"

Kitty's voice was hard, "Spike Marlow. I don't know how he got in, or where he hid while we closed, but it was Marlow. No question. He still had a pillow over her face when I got the door open." She began to shiver, "I should have been faster, Doc. Just a minute faster…"

Doc put an arm around her shoulders and braced her against him. "Let me take you out of here, Kitty." He walked her back to her room and settled her in a chair, getting a quilt from the bed to tuck around her. Noticing Gabby and Mariah peering in through the open doorway, he motioned them in as well. "All three of you, just you stay right here. One of you make up that fire in the stove. Marshal's going to want to talk to you, and you stay put until he gets here." He went out, closing the door behind him, but stuck his head back in a second later to say, "And don't you talk to anybody but the Marshal, you hear me?" before disappearing again.

It was a while before the Marshal came to talk to them. The two girls were curled up together in Kitty's bed, Gabrielle sleeping and Mariah staring up at the ceiling. Kitty still sat in the chair where Doc had left her. Matt knocked on the door and came in, Chester, Doc, and Bill Pence behind him.

"You girls all right?" he asked. Kitty nodded, and the two younger women sat up on the side of the bed, arms around each other's waists.

He walked over to stand by the bed. "Tell me what happened," he said, "Gabby, you go first."

"I was asleep, Marshal." Gabby said, "Miss Kitty had been in to be sure I was all right because I wasn't downstairs when we closed, and I told her Marlow had left half an hour ago, and then when she left I went right back to sleep. I woke up when Ellie started screaming, and I went out in the hallway, and Mariah did too, but her door was locked, and then Miss Kitty came with a gun and told us to go open the front door, and we did, and then we heard a shot, and when we came back up…" she choked and then went on, "When we came back, Doc had Miss Kitty in here and he told us to stay here with her. And that's all."

"Mariah?" Matt asked.

"I was downstairs when we closed, and I came up with Ellie and Miss Kitty, and Ellie went in her room, it's right across from mine, and she said goodnight to me, and I went right to bed. I was tired, and it had been a wild evening, and I went right to sleep, and then I heard Ellie screaming, and that woke me, and I went out in the hall, and then it was just like Gabby said. I pounded on the door, but it was locked, and then Miss Kitty was there." Mariah rushed it all together.

"Okay, you girls can go back to bed. Percy's come and gone and the body's been removed. We'll search and be sure all the doors are locked before we leave, girls." He got them up from the bed with a hand on each of their arms and started the two of them out into the hall, still holding on to each other. "You talk to Doc if you want something to make you sleep." Doc followed the girls out and closed the door.

"Bill? Anything unusual about closing?" the Marshal asked.

"Nothing except it was late, Matt. After three. At least quarter after. Clem walked Stella out about three, they live at the same boarding house, and then Kitty took the other girls upstairs, and Sam and I finished up and locked the doors and left." Bill stood hat in hand, not looking at the marshal, his eyes looking first at the floor, and then at Kitty, and then back to the floor.

"Did you search the place before you locked up, Bill?" Matt asked, but Bill just shook his head, continuing to stare at the floor.

"Kitty?"

She took a long breath, and looked at Matt, pulling strength from him, and then back down at her hands. Doc came into the room as she started to speak, "I came up with Mariah and Ellie, and they went into their rooms, but I went in to check on Gabby because I knew she'd had Marlow up with her tonight and I wanted to be sure he was gone. She told me he'd left, and that he'd paid double for her time. I saw two gold pieces on top of her dresser, and that seemed odd, but I was tired, so I came back to my room and went right to sleep. I woke when I heard the screaming, and I grabbed my gun," she gestured at where the drawer to the nightstand was still open, and Matt nodded, he'd given her that gun and taught her to use it, "and went out in the hall. Gabby and Mariah were there, and the screaming had stopped, but I heard Ellie sobbing, just sobbing. The door was locked. I sent the girls down to open the front door, and I shot off the lock and took the lamp and kicked open the door."

Kitty took a deep breath and looked straight into Matt's eyes. "It was Spike Marlow, Matt. There was plenty of light, and no question about who it was. He had a pillow over Ellie's face. I told him to stand or I'd shoot, and he did, but he didn't seem concerned. Asked me why I wanted to shoot him, said he hadn't done anything wrong. Then we heard you coming, and he headed for the window, and I did shoot, but I must have missed."

"What did you do after Chester and I left, Kitty?"

"I went to look at Ellie, but it was clear," her voice broke, and then steadied, "It was clear right away that she was dead." Matt nodded, he had seen the dead girl's face, "And then Doc came in, and he moved me in here, and I've just been sittin' here, just thinking if I'd been a little faster…"

Matt wanted to go to her, but he couldn't. Doc could and did, putting an arm around her shoulders and holding her face against his shirt. He stroked her hair. "You did the best you could, honey, you can't blame yourself." But Kitty knew she could, and probably would until the end of her days.

"You winged him with that bullet, Kitty. He stole a horse and got away, but there was blood. I'll start out tracking him with Chester at first light. I don't expect he's gotten far." Matt walked over to her chair and, despite the presence of the other three men, he went down on one knee and laid a hand on Kitty's arm. She turned her face away from Doc to look at him. "Kitty, you were the only one who actually saw him in that room with her. Saw him close enough to recognize. Saw him pushing the pillow over her face. You're the only one who can testify against him, and that's going to mean standing up in court and answering some hard questions. You willing to do that?"

Kitty sat up straight and shrugged off Doc's arm. "You bet I am, Matt. I'll testify, and then I'm going to stand and watch him hang."

Matt nodded, his blue eyes steady on hers. They both knew it wasn't going to be easy. On either of them.


	3. Chapter 3: A Troubling Discovery

Chapter Three: A Troubling Discovery

The next morning was Sunday, and it was nearly noon before Kitty woke – a little groggy from the bromide that Doc had insisted she take the night before. Thinking about what the day would bring and what she would have to do, she briefly considered staying in bed, but the thought of Matt, with probably less than two hours sleep in him, riding hard out on the trail after Spike Marlow brought Kitty to her feet. The cold water in her wash bowl helped to clear her head, and knowing that coffee would help even more, she dressed quickly and headed down to the barroom.

Doc was waiting for her, and he and Bill Pence were drinking coffee. It was still too early on a Sunday for the bar to be open for business, but the side door was propped open spilling in the fresh September air. It occurred to Kitty that she would need to open up the windows in Ellen Sue's room and clean it. Get Ellie's things packed up to give someone. Who, she wondered? Maybe Johnny Lyon. He was as close to kin as Ellen Sue had in Dodge.

Her feet on the lowest stair, Kitty stopped still. What if she had been the one who had died? Who would take charge of things today? Who would want, or get, her few mementos, her clothes, her bits and pieces of jewelry? Would Doc or Matt take the time to sort through her letters, write to those few friends and relatives she still stayed in touch with? She glanced over at Bill with a little more than her usual placid contempt. She was damn sure that he'd use their partnership as an excuse to take over her half of the Long Branch.

Doc rose and came over towards her, "You all right, Kitty?" he asked, and she smiled at him as he led her over to the table and held a chair for her. "I'm fine, Doc. Just thinkin' on what needs to be done today, and those aren't very pleasant thoughts."

Kitty drank her coffee while Bill and Doc filled her in on the latest news. There had been a telegram from Matt to Doc saying that he'd arrived in Peters and found himself less than an hour behind Marlow. He expected to catch up with him that afternoon, or in Larnad that evening.

"Has anyone sent word to Johnny Lyon out at the Lazy J?" Kitty asked.

Bill looked at her in confusion, but Doc nodded. "I talked to Mike Justin as he as headed in to church this morning, and he said he'd pass on the news to Johnny when he gets back to the ranch this afternoon. I imagine we'll see him in here tonight."

"Who's Johnny Lyon?" Bill asked blankly.

Kitty regarded Bill impassively over the top of her cup. "He's the young man Ellen Sue was planning to marry, Bill. I'll need to pack up her room this morning and have her things ready for him. You know of any other kin she had, Doc?"

"No, no can't say as I do. Weren't her folks killed in that cholera outbreak in Cimmaron 'bout a year ago?"

"That's when Ellen Sue came to work for us. She was only about eighteen then," Kitty said, mostly for Bill's benefit. "She and Johnny go back a long way – kids together from what Ellie used to say. They were trying to get a stake together to start a homestead. Planning on getting married in the spring." Kitty put down her cup and looked sternly at her partner, "I'm going to figure out what Ellen Sue had on the Long Branch books and pay it out to Johnny, Bill."

Bill looked uncomfortable. "You really think that's necessary, Kitty?" he asked.

"I do," she replied, her eyes locked on his.

It was Bill who dropped his gaze, "Whatever you think best, Kitty." He stood up and retreated behind the bar.

Doc's sharp eyes took in that interchange. "How long you going to continue to put up with that man, Kitty?" he asked in a low voice.

"Not much longer, Doc," Kitty replied. "He's already asked if I'll buy him out. Wants to head back east with Laura. I've got enough saved to do that, but it would leave me mighty tight this winter if anything happened here at the Long Branch. My head says I should ask him to wait until spring, but…"

"But you'd sure like to be rid of him." Doc finished for her.

"I would," she said fervently. She put down her coffee cup and stood up. "I have to get up there and clean out Ellen Sue's room, Doc."

"Well, I'm headed back to my office. Just wanted to be sure you were all right, Kitty." Doc replied. "Oh, and I sent Ming Li over for the bedding early this morning."

"Doc, you are the kindest man I know." Kitty told him with a whoof of relief. "I know I should have stripped that bed last night, but I didn't, and I'm sure glad I don't have to deal with that this morning." Her pleasure melted, though, in her next thought, and her voice turned both sad and serious, "I suppose you have to take care of that all the time, Doc, don't you?"

Doc shrugged. Dying was part of doctoring. You got used to it. But he smiled and patted Kitty's arm as she gave him a quick hug. On the other side of the room, Bill's eyes took in the hug and then followed Kitty as she squared her shoulders and went upstairs. It never occurred to him to suggest helping her with the unpleasant task.

With the window and door both wide open, the stink of death began to dissipate as Kitty found Ellen Sue's carpet bag in the wardrobe and began packing up her clothes. There wasn't much. Two barroom dresses and three everyday ones, shoes, underthings, some cheap jewelry and hair ornaments, a brush and comb, a pile of loose change in the top dresser drawer. A box in the bottom of the wardrobe held the things Ellie had brought with her after her family died – a few pieces of china, what looked like a wedding veil, some papers and letters, a rag doll, and a family Bible.

Kitty took the Bible into her own room, sat down at her desk, and carefully wrote Ellen Sue's name and the date of her death into the front of the book. She looked at the other entries. Ellie had turned twenty the month before. Her parents' deaths, and that of her younger brother, were recorded eleven months earlier. Kitty blotted the entry and carried the book back to place with Ellie's things.

She looked around the room once more. Something was surely missing. Kitty carefully ran her hands behind the mirror and under the mattress. She finally found what she was looking for in an envelope wedged behind the frame of a picture hanging over the bed. Ninety-four dollars in bills, and a brief love note from Johnny Lyon asking her to meet him up in the hayloft at Moss' livery on a Sunday evening last July. Kitty smiled at that, and hoped the two of them had shared a special time together – her saving the note seemed to indicate that maybe they had. And that was it - a wooden box, a carpet bag of clothes, and an envelope with a little less than a hundred dollars – all that was left of a saloon girl named Ellen Sue Neely. Neither kith nor kin nor husband nor child. Kitty put the envelope in her pocket, left the other things on the bed, and headed back to her own room.

The first thing she did was sit down at her desk and clean her gun and reload it. It had been a gift from Matt their first Christmas together – and soon after her brutal rape at the hands of Mac Vicars. He'd taught her to shoot, and to always keep her gun clean and loaded. By the time she was done and the gun stored safely back in the drawer by her bed it was time to wash and dress for the late afternoon shift in the saloon.

Unlike her first years at the Long Branch, Sunday hours were limited these days, and it gave the saloon folk a half holiday that most of them enjoyed by sleeping in. Kitty usually washed her hair on Sunday mornings, but it was too late now. She changed out of the blouse and skirt she'd worn for the morning, tightened her corset strings, and reached for the green dress she'd worn Friday evening. But it wasn't there. Kitty distinctly remembered hanging the dress over the edge of her dressing screen before she went to bed early Friday evening. She moved to look around the edge of the screen and stopped dead in her tracks. Slowly backing away, she grabbed a robe and went down the hall to knock on Mariah's door.

"Can you go down the back way, Mariah, real quiet, and ask Doc to come up and see me?" she asked. "Tell him it's not an emergency, but I need to see him as soon as he can come over. Bring him up the back stairs, Mariah. And, please, don't talk to anyone about this." Mariah looked sharply at her, noticing her pallor, then nodded, and took off quietly to fetch the doctor.

Doc was spending his free Sunday afternoon reading medical journals, and one look at Mariah's face while she conveyed her message let him know something was amiss. With his usual calm assurance, he picked up his medical bag and ushered Mariah ahead of him out of his office door. The two of them went up the back stairs of the Long Branch to find Kitty waiting at the top. "You go on down will you, Mariah? Bill's opening up, and I think he's going to need you. Can you just tell him I'm not feeling too well, but I'll be down in a little bit?"

Mariah nodded. "I can do that with no problem, Miss Kitty. I'll get Gabby downstairs too. You want to tell me what's really wrong?"

Kitty shook her head. "Not now. Maybe later. I need to talk to Doc."

Mariah left and Kitty took Doc's hand and led him down the back way to her room. She closed and locked the door behind them and then pointed behind her dressing screen. "You take a look, Doc. I haven't touched a thing."

Expecting nothing less than a dead body, Doc peered behind the screen. On the floor was a green silk dress sewn with sequins. In the corner stood a pair of shiny black boots, a trim black Stetson, and a pair of worn brown saddlebags.


	4. Chapter 4: Trouble for Kitty

Chapter Four: Trouble for Kitty

Doc stared at the neat pile of goods, and then looked back at where Kitty had seated herself on the lounge, her hands clasped tight in her lap. "You recognize those things, Kitty?" he asked.

She nodded. "I can't say for sure, but the boots and the Stetson are the kind that Marlow wore. I've never seen the saddlebags."

Doc went and poured a glass of whiskey and handed it to her. "You drink that up, Kitty." He went into the corner, lifted the saddle bags and took them over to the bed. Carefully, piece by piece, he emptied both bags and laid the items out on the bed. Some neatly folded shirts and underclothes, shaving things, a leather wallet with a few papers, matches, some jerky, a small bag of coffee, a large buck knife, a gunbelt folded neatly around a Colt revolver, and two hundred and forty dollars in five dollar gold pieces. Doc finished counting the coins and opened the wallet. There were a few small bills and a folded paper that he read and then walked over to hand to Kitty. Army discharge papers dated three months ago for Lieutenant Samuel Pike Marlow.

"Looks like he came by the name honestly," Doc said, "But I wouldn't bet on the money."

"The girls said he lived up to the nickname – mighty proud of it, liked to show off." Kitty said flatly. "I did wonder about all the gold pieces. Gold's heavy, most men don't carry more than a few gold coins. Marlow used them for everything."

Doc sat down next to her. "You know what this means, don't you, Kitty?"

"Yeah, I know, Doc."

"Well say it out loud, Kitty. Don't let it fester."

A shiver went up Kitty's spine, but she sat up straighter, and said with more of her usual spirit. "It means he was coming for me after he got done with Ellie, and then he was going to pick up his things and head out."

"I think that's exactly what it means, Kitty." Doc replied, "But don't you lock your door at night?"

"I most certainly do, and no one else has a key, not even Bill." Kitty stated baldly. Doc was still looking at her with a question in his eyes. "_No one_ has a key to my room, Doc." She accepted his nod, and went on, "But I don't always lock it in the daytime when I'm in and out. I do always lock myself in at night, but sometimes, during the day, or the evening…" she shrugged, "I don't remember about yesterday. It's possible he could have come in during the afternoon, or," here she sighed, "Yeah it's more likely I didn't lock it during the evening and he came in after he was done with Gabby. I can ask her if he had his boots and hat when he came up with her."

"All right, Kitty, let's go through this," Doc said, "He put these things here so they'd be handy when he was done. He didn't want the boots because he needed to move quietly while he was waiting for the saloon to close down. He didn't want to leave the saddlebag with the gold in his room at the Dodge House, and he didn't want to carry it with him. He'd been up here, what, three times, once with Stella, once with Mariah, and once with Gabby?"

Kitty nodded. "I can talk to the girls, but likely by the time he finished with Gabrielle he knew the layout pretty well. Gabby should have walked him back down, but it was quitting time and she didn't want to get dressed again to walk him out. He wasn't casual about it, Doc, like a lot of the cowboys are. He took his time and he wanted the girls in bed and he wanted them undressed."

"You tell Matt any of that, Kitty?" Doc asked.

She shook her head. "I never thought to do that. Mostly I was just checking that he wasn't being abusive with them. They all three said he wasn't a problem. But Ellen wasn't like that, Doc." Doc watched tears gather in Kitty's eyes, but she blinked them away. "I'm not saying she was an innocent, and the boys liked her downstairs. She smiled and she flirted and she was mighty pretty, but she did not take customers. Ever. Not once since she came here, and that's been about a year. She even turned Bill down, and that made him pretty mad for a while."

Kitty stood up and paced back and forth across the room, "You think he intended on going to Ellen Sue first, and then coming to me, Doc? Or you think he was going to skip her, or maybe leave her for last?"

Doc shrugged. "Does it make a difference? With the pattern he set, I certainly don't think he was going to skip over her. He wanted all the girls, one after another."

"Well, Ellen Sue told him, and I told him, and even Matt told him that Ellie just served drinks, she didn't take customers." Kitty said, "But that likely wouldn't have made any difference. He kept asking her and she kept saying no. So I guess he just figured out a different way to get what he wanted." Kitty stopped still in the middle of the floor, her arms wrapped around herself.

"Kitty?" Doc probed, watching her.

"Doc, he asked me too. Asked me three different times. You know the gents are always asking, and I just say no and mostly have a laugh with them, or put them on to one of the other girls, but sometimes a customer gets really serious, and I have to get kind of forceful or even get Sam or Clem or Bill to stand up to them."

"Or Matt." Doc added.

"Or Matt," she agreed, "But he'll mostly stand there and let me take care of myself until it's clear that's not going to work. He rarely steps in unless someone actually tries to hurt me." She was quiet a minute, then shook her head, "No, I think he planned on Ellie first, and then coming round to me last so he could pick up his things and leave." She looked Doc straight in the eye, "I don't think it ever occurred to him that either of us would really object when he got down to it. That man couldn't imagine a woman resisting him. Oh, God, Doc, why couldn't he have come here first? Why did he have to go after Ellie?"

"You think you could have handled him, Kitty? Stopped him?" Doc inquried.

"Well, Doc, he might have forced me, or more likely I would have gone along with him at least long enough to get to my gun – which might have been the same in the long run – but he sure wouldn't have left this room without a bullet in him, and Ellie would have been alive, and I would have been alive, and that would have been a lot better end to the story. But Ellie, she couldn't deal with it. She just started screaming and that didn't stop him at all." Kitty took a breath, "You examined her, Doc?"

He nodded.

"Marlow had her?"

Doc nodded again.

"You going to tell Johnny Lyon that, Doc?" Kitty asked.

"Not unless I absolutely have to, Kitty, but, well, I suppose he has a right to know," he answered.

Kitty regarded him with disgust. "I will never understand men," she declared. "Now what are we going to do with all this?" She waved her hand towards the bed.

"I'm going to pack it up and put it in Matt's safe down at the jailhouse." Doc told her, "And then I'm going to send a wire to Matt in Larnad and tell him what we found."

"You have the combination to Matt's safe?" Kitty was a little surprised.

"Yes, I do. He knew someone might need to get in there one day when he wasn't here." _Or when he didn't come back_, Doc told himself. "There's a slip of paper tucked away all legal at the bank, as well, but I'm sure not going to disturb Botkin's Sunday afternoon dinner to get it, and I want all of this put away where no one can get hold of it."

Doc had just packed up the saddlebags when Bill Pence came knocking on Kitty's door. "You in there, Kitty? I've got another telegram from the Marshal, and no one can find either you or Doc Adams."

Doc bent to tuck the saddlebags out of sight under the far side of the bed and was just walking around the bed towards Kitty when she unlocked and opened the door. Pence's eyes went first to Kitty's robe, then to Doc, and then to the wrinkled bed cover where Doc had laid out the contents of the saddlebag. He handed the telegram to Doc. "You should tell me when you're entertaining; Kitty," he said slyly, "And I'd make a point not to interrupt." He backed out the door and closed it behind him.

"That slimy, mealy-mouthed, little panderer." Doc declaimed, taking a step toward the door.

"Don't bother with him, Doc, open the telegram," she said urgently.

Still snarling, Doc did so. "Matt's in Larnad, and he has Marlow in the jail there. He's going to take him on into Hays tomorrow after he gets some sleep. Says he won't be back here until Thursday."

"You still going to send Matt that telegram, Doc?" Kitty asked.

"You bet I am, Kitty. Going to go scare up Barney right now and get him to open up the telegraph so I can do that." Doc harrumphed. "And I'm going to have a word with that partner of yours on the way down."

"I wouldn't bother, Doc," Kitty said with scorn, "He wouldn't believe you, and it would just give him a chance to talk about it in public. I'll tell him I was letting you take my medical bills out in trade."

Doc looked at her incredulously for a moment, and then wiped his hand over his mouth to hide a grin, "You just think twice about that, young lady. You malign my professional reputation and I'll take you over my knee, and don't you think I won't."

He pulled the saddlebags from under the bed and slung them over his shoulder. "I'm going out the back way, Kitty. Don't let that little pipsqueak bother you now, you understand? I'll let you know when I hear back from Matt." He stopped just inside the door, and regarded her seriously, "You going to be okay, Kitty? I can see that this… well, that this has shook you some."

"I'll be fine, Doc. There's enough to worry about without you worrying about me."

Doc didn't agree, but he didn't see anything else to do, so he nodded and left the room. The boots and Stetson stood quiet accusation in the corner as Kitty salvaged her green dress from behind the screen. It was too wrinkled to wear tonight. She hung it up in the wardrobe, chose another dress, and quickly slipped it on. Ten minutes to work on her paint and put up her hair and she was ready for the evening. She closed and locked both her windows then did the same for her door, slipping the key into her pocket as she walked down the hallway to descend the stairs to the saloon.

OoOoO

There was a lot of talk about the killing, but little talk of murder, and it slowly sank into Kitty's head that the most that her testimony was going to do for Spike Marlow was get him five years for manslaughter. It wasn't enough. Not near enough.

Johnny Lyon, when he came in just after dark, thought the same thing – but he laid the blame squarely at Kitty's feet. Never a regular at the Long Branch until he started coming there to see Ellen Sue, Johnny Lyon was a farmer's son turned cowboy. He'd been raised with church on Sunday, women who prided themselves on good cooking and obedience to their husbands and fathers, and whose idea of a rowdy evening was a glass of beer and hand or two of poker with his friends. If a pretty girl brought him the beer, it made the evening shine out as one to look back on during the week. Still, Kitty had always felt sure that Johnny's feelings for Ellie were both deep and real, and that their careful plans and savings would indeed come to fruition in the spring.

It always pleased her to see one of her girls marry away from the saloon. She knew there were problems with that, and that even the most enamored storekeep, cowboy, or rancher would likely begin to have questions about his woman's past. Still, there were enough success stories that Kitty made it a point never to discourage the girls who wanted to try.

Kitty took Johnny up to Ellie's room and did her best to tell him the truth about her death. He looked at the carpetbag of clothes and asked her to find some of Ellen Sue's friends who might want them. The box of family possessions he wanted, and asked Kitty to keep for him until he could come in with a wagon to get it. The details of her death left him grim – unimpressed with Kitty's marksmanship, or the marshal's capture. "You should never have let her work here, Miss Kitty." Johnny told her, "She was a good girl. No man would have treated her that way if she hadn't been at the Long Branch. She deserved better, Miss Kitty."

Kitty scrunched her anger down tight inside her. "She did deserve better, Johnny, but we don't always get what we deserve. Ellen Sue was good at what she did. Her smile made people happy. I'm sorry it came to this Johnny." That's what she said. What she didn't say was, _"Who else was going to take her in when her family died?"_ and _"You could have married her right off."_ and _"You didn't seem unhappy about the money she was earning."_

Kitty handed Johnny the envelope with Ellen Sue's savings, plus her wages. "You're as near as it comes to kin for Ellie, so I think this is yours," she said. "I'd like to ask you to make me one promise, Johnny."

He looked at her hard. "I will if I can, Miss Kitty, but you'll have to tell me what it is."

"I want you to go through the letters in that box and see if there's any family living who you could notify. Anyone who might want to keep that family Bible. It's a sad thing to die alone, Johnny. Ellie surely did deserve more than that."

"I can promise that, Miss Kitty. Whatever else, I can promise you that." With those words he turned and left the room.

Kitty returned to the barroom to smile and serve whiskey to the local Sunday night crowd. She ignored Bill's smirk when Doc came in with a telegram from Matt to share with her.

WONDERED ABOUT BOOTS STOP GOLD COULD BE ROBBERY LINK STOP KEEP KITTY SAFE STOP DILLON

"I'll sure be glad to see Matt back on Thursday, Doc," Kitty said. "You really think he's worried about my being safe? He's got Marlow under arrest."

"Well, Kitty, I don't want to scare you any more than you are already, but if Marlow got that gold as part of a robbery, then he likely had partners, and they might not be happy to see him hung for murder – especially if he knows where the gold is and they don't." Doc said, "I want you to be careful, Kitty. Keep your doors locked and I'll have a talk with Sam and Clem about being sure the premises are cleared out each night when they close."

"Yeah, Doc, you do that," Kitty agreed with a withering look at where Bill Pence stood behind the bar, "If Bill had managed to do that last night, Ellen Sue might still be alive." _And if I'd been just a little faster blowing that door_, Kitty thought, _Ellie might indeed be alive_. But aloud she just said, "Don't worry about me, Doc. I'll supervise closing myself for a while until we get into some better habits. And I'll lock my room up tight when I'm there and when I'm not."

OoOoO

Monday morning someone took a pot shot at Kitty while she was walking across to Delmonico's for breakfast. They missed her head but shot the feathers off her newest hat. And as if that weren't enough, a horse and wagon standing hitched outside the mercantile broke away and nearly ran her down as she crossed to Mr. Jonas' store in the afternoon. Dirty, bedraggled, and with a favorite dress torn beyond repair, Kitty began to wonder just what exactly might be going on. Thursday seemed a long way off.


	5. Chapter 5: The Trouble with Snakes

Chapter Five: The Trouble with Snakes

They buried Ellen Sue on Tuesday morning, and rather than argue with Bill, Kitty paid for it out of her own pocket. Doc stood beside her at the burying, and Bill, Clem, Sam, and the girls all stood behind them. Mike Justin had come out from the Lazy J with several of his hands, all Johnny's friends, but Johnny Lyon wasn't there. "I am the resurrection and the life," the preacher began, and when he was done, it was Kitty who bent to take the first handful of earth and throw it on the coffin.

Mike caught up with her half an hour later in the Long Branch. "You know where Johnny is, Miss Kitty?" he asked.

"I do not," she answered him, downing a stiff whiskey. "I can't believe he didn't come to see her buried. Wasn't he out at the ranch, Mike?"

"He came back in Sunday night, Miss Kitty. Asked me to pick up a box of Ellen Sue's things from you. Told us he'd meet me and the boys here for the burying, then rode out before dawn on Monday." The rancher stood quiet for a moment. "Guess I thought he needed some time by himself, ma'am, but I sure am surprised he didn't show this morning." Justin turned his hat in his hand a few times. "You have that box for us, ma'am? I brought the buckboard in for supplies, and I'm fixin' on heading straight back to the ranch."

Kitty directed Mariah to take one of the Lazy J boys upstairs to pick up Ellen Sue's box. With that done, and the men out the door, she walked over to her office and sat down at the desk to begin on the week's ledgers. Head bent over the books, Kitty didn't even notice the door open. "Don't move a muscle, Miss Kitty," came Clem's calm voice, and she didn't. "There's a rattler right next to the desk, Miss Kitty. I think it's sleeping, and it's sure not ready to strike, so you just keep yourself still until I can get myself a gun."

Kitty let one breath out quietly and took in another. She didn't move even her eyes. She heard Clem's quiet steps as he backed out the door, and tried to count the seconds waiting for his return. She lost count a couple of times, but was up to thirty on her third try when she heard booted steps in the hallway and then a sudden gunshot. Kitty turned to see a strange cowboy standing in the doorway of the office, his sixgun in his hand. She followed where the gun was pointing to look at the remains of one of the biggest rattlers she had ever seen. She smiled tremulously at the cowboy standing in the doorway, and pushed back her chair to stand up when the cowboy moved his gun straight towards her and shot again. The second snake was almost touching her skirt, coming out from under the desk. Her last thought as she fainted was to wonder if there were more.

There were.

OoOoO

When Kitty woke lying on top of Doc's bed in the back bedroom of his office, both Doc and Ma Smalley were there. Doc was standing by the bed, and Ma was sitting on the far side holding her hand. "I'm going to be sick." Kitty said, and Doc, apparently expecting that reaction, had an arm around her shoulders and a basin next to her head before she heaved up her breakfast. Ma wiped her mouth and face with a damp cloth and got her sitting up to drink a glass of water while Doc disposed of the evidence. Kitty stayed sitting up and didn't even try to pull away from Ma's comforting arms. She waited until Doc came back into the room and sat down in his chair by the side of the bed before asking, "What happened?"

"You fainted," Doc told her. "I didn't get there until that cowboy got the third snake, but I was there when they found the fourth one in your desk drawer."

Kitty thought she would faint again, but she didn't. Ma got her laid back on the bed, and continued stroking her face and neck with the cold cloth. That was about when Kitty noticed that her dress was gone, as were her shoes and stockings. Doc didn't seem disturbed by her state of undress but he didn't comment when Ma drew a light coverlet over her. "We had to check you for snakebites, honey," Ma told her. "Doc sent one of those barmen over for me so's you'd have another woman with you."

Kitty tried to sit up, but Doc's hand on her shoulder kept her down. "You've had a bad time this morning, Kitty, and I want you to rest. Those snakes were no accident. Sure, one snake can get in anywhere, but three in one room has to be deliberate, and there's no doubt that someone put that young rattler in the desk drawer. Young ones are the worst, they'll strike at anything."

Kitty choked, and took the cloth from Ma's hands to hold against her mouth. When she got her stomach back under control, Ma took up where Doc had stopped, "We got that nice young cowboy, Thaddeus Jones was his name, to carry you up here. He shot all three of the snakes in your office. Excellent shot that young man. Bill and Clem found the one in the desk while they were searching the premises. Now Kitty," Ma's kind voice took a no-nonsense turn, "There's no use in pretending here. Someone is trying to kill you and Galen and I aren't about to let that happen."

"You're going to stay up here tonight, Kitty, and Ma is going to stay with you, right in that bed." Doc told her, "I'm letting it out that you were bit, but not badly, and that I'm treating you. Tomorrow morning, before dawn, we're going to get you moved over to Matt's room at Ma's place, and no one is going to know where you've gone. I wired Matt yesterday in Hays about the shot and the wagon, and I'm pretty sure he'll start out for Dodge as soon as he gets his prisoner into Frank's custody."

"Frank?" Kitty asked.

"Frank Reardon's the new sheriff up in Hays. He and Matt go back a long way. Matt won't have any trouble leaving Marlow in Frank's hands." Doc said, his arm sliding behind Kitty's shoulders as he raised her up and put a glass to her mouth. Kitty took a drink before the bitter taste told her it was one of Doc's sleeping powders. She tried to stop, but Doc was insistent, and Ma held both her hands. "Trust me on this, Kitty." Doc said, and she reluctantly swallowed the rest of the bitter medicine. "Now you lay back and rest. We won't leave you alone for a minute – not one minute. We've searched the office and there's no snakes, nothing harmful, and I've got my pistol primed and loaded out in the other room." He patted her hand, and then her cheek. "Let us take care of you, honey, and before you know it, Matt will be back in town and we'll figure this whole thing out."

Doc left the bedroom, and Kitty let Ma unlace her corset and take it off. She lay back on the bed in her chemise and petticoats, mind still crawling at the memory of the snakes. Ma sat quietly beside her in the chair, the clack of her knitting needles reminding Kitty hazily of her mother and the clicking of rosary beads. On that comforting thought she drifted off to sleep.

It was dark when she woke, wondering for a moment at the strange bed and the strange body beside her. Ma was turned away from her, sleeping peacefully, and Kitty slipped quietly out of bed to find the chamberpot underneath it. She lifted the lid cautiously, but there were no snakes, just clean white porcelain. Covering it and pushing it back under the bed when she was done, Kitty stepped over to the partially open bedroom door and peeked through into the main room. Doc was sitting at his desk, his old army pistol lying close beside him, and he saw her at once. Putting a finger to his lips, he motioned her into the room, and she closed the door behind her.

"Mary still asleep in there?" Doc asked. Kitty nodded, and he went on, chuckling, "She'll sleep through most anything except a gunshot or a baby crying. You want some coffee, Kitty? Want to talk about this?"

Kitty nodded again, and he poured her a mug of coffee, then picking up the pistol, he took her arm and went to sit both of them on the chaise under the far window. It occurred to Kitty to wonder how Doc came to be so familiar with Ma's sleeping habits, but she didn't ask. Instead she came out with the question at the top of her mind, "Did you hear from Matt, Doc?"

"Got a telegram from Frank. He said Matt and Chester got Marlow into Hays late Tuesday morning. Matt read my telegram, and he started right out with two of Frank's horses. I imagine he'll switch off and be in here late tomorrow afternoon."

"Doc, he'll be exhausted!" Kitty exclaimed.

Doc sipped his own coffee. "Yeah, but he'll have had plenty of time to think. Betcha he's got a plan by the time he shows up tomorrow." He reached for a folded blanket, "You cold, Kitty?"

Kitty glanced down at her chemise and petticoat. Her arms were bare, but she was better covered than in some of the saloon dresses she used to wear when she worked the floor of the Long Branch. "I'm fine, Doc. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on here. I can't argue that someone's trying to kill me, but I'm just not satisfied with why."

"That's bothering me too, Kitty," Doc replied, "I can't but think it has something to do with Marlow and the gold, but we need Matt here to try to find out where that gold might have come from. I don't remember any really recent robberies, not in this area, but it could have been a while ago, or it could have been a ways from here. All I can put together is that someone doesn't want you to testify against Marlow and is willing to kill you to keep you from doing it."

"It just doesn't make sense to me, Doc," Kitty said, "I mean sure, the word was out on the street that I was the only eye witness before I even woke up Sunday morning, but…" she hesitated and went on slowly, "But no one I talked to thought Marlow would hang for what he did. First of all, Matt aside, the law doesn't care much about what happens to a saloon girl. If it had just been rape, Matt couldn't even have arrested him. Though I imagine he would have given him a beating he'd remember."

Doc nodded slowly at that. He didn't like it but he couldn't argue with the truth. "And it's pretty clear that he didn't intend to kill her. The things hidden in your room show he was going to leave her, come to you, and then pick up his things and go when he was done. It's actually a point in his favor as far as taking a manslaughter charge instead of a murder charge."

Kitty's comment was calm but bitter. "You can't rape a whore, Doc. And since it's clear Marlow didn't believe a word that either Ellie or I said about not being in that trade, he had no reason to believe we'd put up any real fuss or resistance. He must have been shocked when she started screaming. Bet he was already in the bed with her before she woke up." She drank down the end of her coffee. "Sometimes I hate men something fierce, Doc."

He patted her hand, "Can't blame you that you do, honey. Just try not to hate us all."

Kitty moved to kiss his cheek, and then sat back to look at him with sudden speculation, "You didn't need Ma's help, did you, Doc? You got her up her to protect my reputation." She gave a short bark of laughter, "I haven't got any reputation, Doc, and if I did it's going to be gone by the time they finish with me on the witness stand."

"I brought Ma up here for your comfort, Kitty, and to keep feeble-minded nincompoops like Pence from gossiping. Mary's a shrewd woman and a lot broader-minded than some people give her credit for, but her reputation is impeccable. You go on back in there and sleep, honey, and she'll swear down heaven that she was with you every moment of the night."

"You get some sleep too, Doc, and thank you for taking care of me." She did kiss him this time, and told him softly, "I do love you, Doc."

"I know that, honey, and I love you too. Now scoot on back to bed."

Ma was awake when Kitty crawled back under the covers. "You have a good talk with, Galen?"

"Umm hmm," Kitty murmured, not sure what to say.

"Go to sleep, child, and try not to worry." Ma turned over away from her and was snoring softly within minutes. Kitty lay, awake, thinking, until Doc came in at about five to get them up.


	6. Chapter 6: Troubling Thoughts

Chapter Six: Troubling Thoughts

Ma dressed and left soon after they woke, walking the few blocks home with the first grey light just beginning to touch the horizon. About half past five a group of cowboys carried an injured companion up the stairs to Doc's office. Half an hour later, the group left again, mounting their horses and heading down towards Ma Smalley's boarding house where they all stopped for an early breakfast and then rode on their way again. No one noticed the short, slender cowboy who remained behind. Ma unlocked the inner door to Matt Dillon's room, let her through, and then locked it up again. Kitty lay quietly on Matt's bed, taking in the smell of him, and listening to the various boarders rise, wash, eat, and make their way out to work. When things were quiet again, she stood to take a closer inventory of the room. She'd been there before, but not too often, and never alone.

The room was sizeable but sparsely furnished with just a bed, a chest, a washstand, and a small table Matt clearly used as a desk. She thought it might once have been a storeroom, next to the kitchen, because there were a small window and an outside door opening on the alley to the side of the house. The house door was under the back stairs, so she heard all the comings and goings into the kitchen, but figured if she were fairly quiet, no one would know she was there. Kitty sighed. It was still early in the day, and there was a long time to go before she could expect Matt to return. There were no newspapers, but a few books. She paged through _David Copperfield_ and _The Gilded Age_, both of which she had read and not liked much. Matt's Bible was next on the shelf, but other than his name on the flyleaf, there were no family records. She picked up _The Wreck of the Chancellor_ and soon found herself curled up on the bed, moving to catch the best light from the curtained window, and reading with little notion of either time or rattlesnakes.

Ma Smalley came in at midday with a tray of food and found her asleep over the open volume. She brought Kitty's own clothes, and after she had changed and eaten, prepared to take away both the tray and the cowboy outfit Kitty had worn that morning. "I know it's boring for you in here, Kitty, but it's just for today. I'm sure Matt will have some better ideas for tomorrow."

"I don't like hiding, Ma." Kitty replied. "It seems wrong. There's work to be done at the Long Branch – we're expecting the last herd of the season in tomorrow night." Kitty looked around her, "Just how secluded is this room?"

"I usually know when Matt has visitors," Ma replied looking at Kitty squarely, "But the room above is empty right now, so the only person likely to hear you, unless you scream, is me if I'm working in the kitchen."

Kitty nodded, accepting the rebuke. She hadn't spent the night here with Matt in several years. They both knew that Ma disliked it, although sometimes, during their first couple of years, the privacy and the chance for a whole night together had made them chance it. Matt had listened to Ma's lectures with reasonable grace, and she'd never actually tossed him out. "You going to let me stay here with him tonight, Ma?" she asked quietly.

"Kitty, you're not nineteen anymore. My boarding house has a good name, and I intend to keep it, but outside of that, what you and the marshal do is not my business and I have no intention of discussing it."

Kitty tilted her head and looked at Ma curiously, "You were worried about what _Matt_ was doing to _me_, Ma?" she asked skeptically. "Not worried about saving him from my bad influence?"

Ma regarded her with calm eyes, "I know you thought you were all grown up, Kitty Russell, and I know you think you are now, but you were barely more than a child when you came to Dodge, and I expected more of Matt Dillon. I told him so several times."

"Ma! I'd been working the trade for more than five years when I came to Dodge! Matt, and Doc, and Chester – they were the first men in a long time who treated me like a decent human being and not just some saloon girl who didn't matter worth beans." She reached out a hand to lay on Ma's arm, and continued sincerely, "Ma, you have no idea what Matt did for me."

"Just because I'm old now, Kitty, doesn't mean I wasn't young once. I have a very good idea exactly what Matt Dillon did with you, and to you, and for you, but I thought then he should have married you instead, and I still think so." Ma told her bluntly.

"Matt will never marry as long as he wears that badge, Ma, and I won't ask him to give it up." Kitty said quietly. "I understand that. I've understood from the beginning."

"Humpf." Ma snorted, "I tell you to your face, Kitty, that I think Matt's been badly brought up. First Adam Kimbro and then Josh Stryker. Good men in their way, but wielding an undue influence on an otherwise sensible young lawman. Maybe Matt won't marry, Kitty, but you could." Ma told her.

Kitty shook her head slowly, "No, Ma. I have what I want. Maybe not all I want, but as much as I can expect to get. I'd rather run the Long Branch and have what I can of Matt's attention than marry someone else. I'm not all that thrilled with what I've seen of marriage, Ma."

"You think that now, Kitty, but you may not feel the same in another ten years, or another twenty. Can you see yourself standing there at the bar running the Long Branch when you're fifty?" Ma laughed suddenly, "I know, child, I know. You can't possibly even imagine being fifty. And that Marshal of yours is dead set on dying before he's forty." She picked up the tray and prepared to leave, "Let's just keep you safe through this afternoon and then see what Matt Dillon comes up with tonight."

"Ma Smalley!" Kitty gasped, her eyes sparkling.

Ma barked out a short laugh, "Well, Kitty, I didn't mean it that way, but I don't suppose but that's what will happen."

OoOoO

Doc drove his buggy out the road north of town about three in the afternoon, pulled up his horse, and settled back with a medical journal. It was after four when Matt came riding south on a tall sorrel gelding, dark with sweat, and, leading a big-barreled pinto on a rein behind him. Doc closed his journal and laid it on the seat as Matt pulled up beside him.

"Hello, Matt," Doc said taking a handful of telegrams out of his jacket and handing them up to him. "Thought you'd like to see these. Looks like you've had the wires humming all across Kansas."

"Kitty all right?" Matt asked, taking the papers from Doc's hand.

"Going about crazy with boredom," Doc replied, "Ma and I have her holed up in your room at the boarding house, and I'm pretty sure no one else knows she's there. Not sure I could have kept her there much longer, but you'll probably have some influence on that now that you're back. Couple things I need to tell you." Doc went on to explain about the funeral, about Johnny's absence, and about the snakes.

Matt's face remained impassive. "You're sure she wasn't bitten?" He couldn't help asking.

"Ma and I examined every inch of her, Matt. She's got hurt some from that wagon on Monday, and the bruises are beginning to color up, but she didn't get bit. You may find a few folks in town who don't agree with that, though – think she died of snakebite and I spirited away the body – but no one's had the gall to ask me directly, so I haven't had to comment."

"I'm going to need to get some sleep, Doc. I rode mostly straight through – just stopped long enough to rest the horses a couple of times. Fed them grain instead of letting them graze," Matt said. "How about you meet me at the Long Branch around midnight. I'm going to bring Kitty back there tonight, and we all need to talk a bit before tomorrow morning."

"I'll be there, Matt." Doc said picking up his reins, "I'll keep checking the telegraph office, as well. You just leave those horses out back at Ma's and I'll have Moss pick them up and get them taken care of."

"Thanks, Doc. I'll do that." Matt said.

OoOoO

Matt unlocked the outside door to his room and stepped inside. Kitty was sitting at the table playing solitaire in the dim light, and the first thing he saw was the gun in her hand pointing straight at him. She laid it down on the table and stood up. "I'm glad you're back, Matt," she said.

"You tired of trying to win with a deck that's missing the jack of diamonds?" he asked with a smile, taking the three long steps towards her.

Kitty grinned. "I noticed that right off, Matt, but it still helped to pass the time." She took the last short step and held out her hands. "I was just tired of you bein' gone."

He took her hands and pulled her into his arms. "You okay, Kitty?" he asked eventually, his face against her hair.

She drew back just enough to see his face. "I'm a little battered and a little scared, but I'm more bored than anything else." She laid a hand against his cheek, "You look exhausted, Matt. Come on over and sit down."

He dropped into the chair across from where she'd been sitting just as there was a knock on the house door. Before Matt could stop her, Kitty, gun in hand, was at the door. "Who is it?"

"Just leaving you some hot water," came Ma's voice, but Matt pushed Kitty behind him as he carefully opened the door, his own gun out, and checked the hallway before bringing in the can of water.

"You think you can stay awake long enough to wash some, cowboy?" Kitty asked.

"I'll manage that if you'll come into that bed with me, after I do," he said wearily.

"Matt! It's not even dark yet!" Kitty said.

Matt went and locked both doors. He shoved a chair under each doorknob. Then he went back and wrapped both arms around her waist, "Kitty, I haven't actually slept in about thirty hours. I want to pretend everything's fine, but we both know different."

Kitty met his eyes and nodded slow agreement. "How can I help, Matt?"

"I need to read that handful of telegrams, and then I need to get some sleep, and then we need to go meet Doc at the Long Branch sometime before midnight." He tipped up her chin and kissed her lips, brief but hard, "And I know I'm not going to sleep if I don't have you right there where I can have my hands on you and know you're safe, so will you do that for me, Kitty?"

Without comment Kitty stepped back and began taking off her clothes. She turned down the covers and moved to the far side of the bed next to the wall. Matt quickly opened and read the five telegrams, and then Kitty sat, watching, with her arms around her raised knees, as he stripped and, pouring water in the basin, stood naked by the washstand to clean away the dust and sweat of four days in the saddle. He was damp when he came into the bed, but he certainly smelled better. He hung his gunbelt on the bedpost where he could reach it, and pulled her into his arms.

Kitty had thought he would be far too tired to want her, but it didn't take long to realize she was wrong. He held her tight, tight against him, kissing her mouth open, and then moving his hands down to cup and squeeze her bottom and rub his rising cock against her. Almost before she was ready he had her on her back kneeing her legs apart and entering her hard. There was no finesse and no play, just an nearly desperate need. Kitty held him with equal fervor, clasping her arms around his neck, and laying wide open under him. After, he kept hold of her as he rolled onto his side – one arm holding her against him and the other hand firm around her wrist. "Don't leave me, Kitty." It was a command rather than a request.

She stroked his face with her free hand. His eyes were already closed. "I'll be right here when you wake up, Matt," she told him. He was asleep between one breath and the next, and she lay there in his grasp, watching the light fade from the window and thinking about the man next to her, and how he'd acted, and why. She was almost asleep herself when it came slipping into her mind, fitting solidly into place like a dovetail joining two pieces of wood.

All those years of telling her the badge came first, of keeping their relationship publicly casual, of telling her he couldn't put her in danger by letting people know, well, it might not be nonsense, but it sure wasn't the whole truth. Yes, he was afraid for her, but he was afraid for himself as well. This, this was the truth – this was his real fear – that if something happened to her, as it had, that he would act, not like a marshal upholding the law, but like a man who loved a woman. She wasn't sleepy, now, and she had a long time to think about it while she lay, spooned in front of her sleeping lover, his hands possessively on her even in sleep. Matt Dillon loved her. Whether he said it or not, whether he let himself act on it or forced himself to turn away, Matt Dillon loved her. She didn't know if he'd ever say the words, but his actions today had told her all she really needed to know. Matt Dillon loved her, and he wasn't going to like admitting that to himself.


	7. Chapter 7: Troubled Hearts

Chapter Seven: Troubled Hearts

Ma was knocking on the door about eleven, and they joined her in the kitchen a little later to eat a late meal before walking over to the Long Branch. Kitty was quieter than usual, and Matt kept a hand on her arm as they walked down Front Street. No one shot at them the whole way.

Matt took a long look over the doors before opening one and ushering Kitty in. Things were quiet, although Kitty's entrance livened things up a bit. She was hugged, welcomed, jawed at, celebrated, and finally allowed to sit down at a back table with Matt and Bill while Stella brought them a bottle and glasses.

"You get rid of all the snakes, Bill?" Kitty asked.

"Searched every crevice and corner in the place, Kitty. There were just the four and all in the office." Bill replied, seeming genuinely upset, "Where've you been, Kitty? Once it was clear you weren't at Doc's anymore, I got mighty worried."

Kitty looked at him. "How worried?"

"I broke the lock and searched your room, Kitty," he said, "Now don't you go fuming at me! I had to know if you were in there, maybe hurt or something."

Kitty relented, "Thanks, Bill. I didn't mean to worry you. You get the door fixed?"

Bill handed her a key, "And I'm keeping one, Kitty," he told her bluntly, "I had them put a latch on the inside that you can use if you feel the need, but I'm not going to have to break another lock in my own saloon."

Kitty didn't rise to the bait. An inside latch would do for now. She turned to the Marshal, "Well, Matt, what do we do next. I'm not hiding out anymore."

Matt sipped at his whiskey before answering, and finally put it down with a sigh. He knew Kitty wasn't going to take this well, and he didn't mean her to. "Nope, you're leaving Friday morning for Hays on the stage. You'll have to be there to testify, and I think you'll be safer up there with Frank Reardon than here in Dodge with me."

All in all, Kitty didn't take it as badly as he had feared, but her temper surely did flare. Doc came in midway through her initial tirade, sat down, and started staring at her. Eventually, she wound down and stared back at him. "What? What is it? Doc?"

Doc took out a clean handkerchief, spit on it, and then wiped at a place on her jaw. He looked at the handkerchief and then put it back in his pocket, shaking his head. "Thought it might be dirt," he said, "What, did Matt hit you?"

"Doc!" Kitty was outraged.

"Bill hit you?" he asked.

Now Bill was offended. "Doc Adams you know damned well I've never laid a hand on Kitty in all the years…" he began, but his words petered out as Matt Dillon's hand came up to lift and turn Kitty's face towards the lamp hanging from the ceiling above them.

"Who hit you, Kitty?" Matt asked, his voice dead quiet.

Kitty took a deep breath. "Silas Warner's _horse_ hit me, Matt Dillon," she told him, "And Bill and Doc both know that, even if you don't. So if you think you're going to get away with this by changing the subject, then you're dead wrong." But he wasn't. By the time Clem started clearing tables and pushing cowpokes out the door, it had been settled, if not agreed on, that Kitty would be leaving on the Friday morning stage for Hays.

"Want to give me that other key, Bill?" Matt asked rising, "I need to check out Kitty's room before she goes up." He held out his hand, and Bill reluctantly placed a key in it. Matt headed up the stairs and was gone for quite a few minutes. "Everything looks fine up there, Kitty," Matt told her when he returned, "You shouldn't have any problem sleeping in your own bed tonight." The bar room had been swept up while he was gone, and the last customers cleared away. Matt took the big key ring from Bill and handed it to Kitty, ushering Bill and Doc ahead of him out the front door. "You be sure and lock up tight after us, Kitty," he said, closing the door behind them as Bill headed right on the boardwalk towards his home, and Matt and Doc headed left towards Doc's office.

Kitty met them at the back door, arms crossed and foot tapping. "And just what would you do if I'd locked you out, Matt?"

"Throw pebbles at your window 'til you let me in." he said grinning and remembering earlier years, then more seriously, "Did you check the other doors, Kitty?"

"Yes I did, Matt. I always check the doors. I locked the front door, checked the cellar door and the side door, and then re-locked the door behind the bar before I came and opened this one," she said.

Matt's face was somber. "Only door I unlocked was this one, Kitty."

Kitty cussed fluently. Doc took her arm and started her up the stairs while Matt locked up behind them. "You're going to have to get rid of him, Kitty." Doc said.

"I think Doc's right, Kitty. You and the girls just aren't safe here with Bill managing the closings. I'll be up in a few minutes." Matt said, wandering away to check the premises for unwelcome visitors.

When they were finally settled in Kitty's room, Kitty and Doc seated, Matt standing by the window, it was Doc who started. "What was in those telegrams, Matt? Somebody at the other end had Barney scared spitless, he wouldn't tell me a word."

Matt shook his head, "He wouldn't tell you a word, but he handed you the telegrams themselves to give to me."

Doc shrugged, "I didn't hire the man."

"All right, here's what I know." Matt began, "Spike Marlow was an officer at Fort Leavenworth until about three months ago. He helped run the army prison there, and then he had the bad sense to seduce the Colonel's daughter. Now I say he seduced her because he accepted a company punishment of twenty lashes and the right to resign his commission instead of a court martial. If it had been rape, he'd have been court martialed and executed, so there had to have been at least some question."

"When we got to Peters, Chester and I found we were only a little more than an hour behind Marlow. He'd stopped there to eat a meal, buy a pair of boots and some other necessaries, and to buy a horse. He left the one he was riding – the one he stole – at the livery there in Peters with a note and ten dollars in gold."

Doc snorted, "Smart man."

Matt nodded, "Couldn't arrest him for horse stealing after he did that. Man had no idea anyone was pursuing him. If there'd been a decent hotel in Peters, we might have found him there in bed. In any case, Chester and I met him on the trail outside Larnad. He was as friendly as you please. He agreed that he'd been in the Long Branch, made some mighty loose talk about the girls there, but denied that anything was wrong when he left. I arrested him, and we rode on into Larnad. He, uh, got a little beat up when he was arrested. Tore his clothes up some, that's when I saw the lash marks on his back."

"You?" Kitty asked, but Matt shook his head.

"Chester," he replied, "Chester was real fond of Ellie." Kitty nodded, she'd known that. The fact that Ellen Sue was promised to Johnny, and the fact that she just served drinks without inviting men to her rooms had made her an especially comfortable companion for the shy jailer.

"When we got to Larnad and got Doc's telegram about the army discharge, and the things hidden in your room, I started sending telegrams to the army." Kitty's eyes moved towards the corner blocked off by the screen. "Yeah, they're still there, Kitty. We can give them back to him when he gets to Dodge if you like."

"Back to Dodge?" Kitty questioned him, "I thought he was going to be tried in Hays."

"That's what I wanted you to think, Kitty, and what I wanted Bill to think, but no, Judge Beck will hold his trial here a week from Friday. Too many of the witnesses are local to try to hold the trial up in Hays."

"Then why am I taking the stage for Hays Friday morning, Matt?" Kitty asked, her mouth grim.

And Matt gave her the only answer that she had to accept whether she liked it or not, "Because I have to keep you safe to testify against Marlow or he's going to walk free."

"What about the gold, Matt?" asked Doc, "Did you get any leads on that?"

"I did, but I don't know as they'll do any good." Matt replied, "Colonel Parkinson up at Fort Leavenworth thinks it could be from an army payroll robbed about three weeks ago. Five thousand dollars – all in five dollar gold pieces – was stolen on the way from Leavenworth to Fort Riley. There's a ten percent reward for its return. Marlow was in a position to have known the shipment schedules, and he also had an opportunity to get familiar with some of the men who'd recently been in the prison there for robbery. The other telegrams were from some local sheriffs between here and the Missouri border. Dodge wasn't the first place Spike moved through a whole saloon full of girls one after another and paid for it all with five dollar gold pieces."

"Well, he couldn't have spent the whole five thousand that way, Matt," Kitty reasoned, "There wasn't enough time. You think his partners have it? Or maybe that his partners are after him – and me – because he's the one who knows where the gold is hidden."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Kitty," Matt admitted, "Marlow's not likely to get more than five years for Ellie's death. Maybe ten since it's Judge Beck and not Judge Brooker, and that's a long time for his partners to wait for their share of the gold. Without your testimony, he's going to walk free, Kitty."

"Can't you charge him with the robbery, Matt?" Doc asked him, but Matt shook his head.

"We'd need to find more of the gold to do that, Doc, and Marlow's not talking. Man smiles a lot, but he doesn't say much to any purpose, and he's got a lawyer now up in Hays – that was in Frank's telegram. Not a really good lawyer, Doc. Marlow had less than a hundred dollars in his pocket when we brought him in, but a lawyer all the same, and that means it's going to be tougher for Kitty on the witness stand."

"I don't see how, Matt," Kitty told him boldly, "A whore is a whore, and once they get through that, what more do they have left?"

But Matt shook his head, and his voice was hard, "First they'll say that you sold Marlow Ellen Sue without her consent and for a higher price because she was a virgin – there's men that will pay extra for that and you know it – and then that you let Marlow leave his things here in your room because he was your lover. Next they'll say that when you shot him you were trying to kill him to keep him from talking about your dealings together. It's not going to be easy, Kitty."

Kitty's chin went up and she stared him down, "Then it won't be easy. I'm not going to back out now, Matt, and you know that."

"I do know that, Kitty, I've been thinking of it all the way south from Hays." Matt said quietly, "But I don't have to like it. And it's one reason that I'm going to arrange to keep you safe and out of the way until the trial begins."

Doc picked up his hat and headed for the door, his mouth set. "You come by tomorrow, Matt, and let me know what I can do to help. You don't need to see me out. I'll lock the alley door and slide the key back under. I'll see you both later."

Matt went to stand by Kitty's chair. They were quiet, looking at each other, not touching. The silence grew around them. Finally Kitty asked, "You said that was one reason you were going to keep me safe, Matt. What's the other?"

He looked down at her for a long time. She waited. When he spoke at last, the words were soft, "Because I love you, Kitty. And I can't lie to myself about that anymore."

She hadn't expected that. Despite their years together, she hadn't really understood how deeply honest he was – even with himself. She stood up and turned her back to him. He began slowly, one by one, unfastening the hooks down the back of her bodice. It gave her time to clear the tears from her eyes without letting them fall.


	8. Chapter 8: Trouble on the Stage

Chapter Eight: Trouble on the Stage

No one was actually very happy on Friday morning, but most everyone was smiling. Matt, Bill, and Doc all walked Kitty to the stage. Jim Buck was already up on the high seat, Everett Carver next to him with a shotgun. Thaddeus Jones, of snake-shooting fame, was sitting inside the stage, a second shotgun in his hands. Jones was yawning a bit as he'd spent a wakeful, but well paid, night on a chair at the end of Kitty's upstairs hallway.

Emil Wohlheter, the big German blacksmith, was finishing his examination of the stage. "There is nothing wrong here, Marshal Dillon," he told Matt in his deeply accented voice. "I have checked efery wheel, and efery axle, and checked the shoes on efery horse. There is nothing at all wrong with this coach, Marshal." Matt shook his hand and thanked him.

Jim Buck, high above him, looked down, shaking his head, "I could have told you that, Matt. I check out this coach before every run."

"I know you do, Jim, but today we just needed a few extra precautions." Matt replied placidly, watching as Moss Gimmick finished examining all six horses and tracing each piece of the reins and rigging. He didn't say a word, just nodded once at the Marshal and headed back to the livery.

A glowering Chester, who'd arrived from Hays the evening before bringing reinforcements in the form of one of Frank Reardon's deputies, was standing across the street with a rifle, sharp eyes peeled across the rooftops and alleyways for any sign of unusual activity. He was still angry with Mr. Dillon for choosing Jones to accompany Miss Kitty inside the coach.

Two other passengers, a middle-aged rancher, Virgil Riker, and his wife, stepped up into the coach. Bill handed Kitty's carpet bag up to Jim, and he and Doc helped her into the stage. Matt had just turned from his perusal of the street to give her a smile where she sat by the window when a shot hit the dust just inches from the doorway of the stage and another scraped along the roofline. Matt had his gun out before the sound of the first shot faded. "Take 'em out, Jim!" he yelled, smacking the rear horse sharply with his hat. The last thing Kitty saw as the coach rumbled galloping out of town was Matt and Chester both running for an alley beside the Bulls Head.

Once out on the track, Jim slowed the stage horses to a steady canter and they rolled on without incident to the Owl Creek station, two hours out of Dodge. Everett stayed on watch atop the stage while Jones checked the inside of the station and the privy behind. When the station master and his wife reported no visitors, no strangers, and no unusual incidents, Kitty was allowed to visit the facilities with Mrs. Riker in tow while Everett stood guard a careful two steps away outside. Jones sat with Riker and the ladies inside the station while the other men changed horses and again double checked wheels, axles, whiffletree, horses, and rigging.

They followed the same procedure at the next station. At the third, where there was a dinner break, Jones refused to let Kitty eat anything with the others. After using the privy, he marched her back to the coach where the two of them ate from a basket prepared by Ma Smalley and loaded onto the floor of the coach with her own hands under Jones' watchful eyes. Since he allowed her only water from his own canteen, and none of the coffee prepared at the way station, Kitty was dozing restlessly when the ruckus began.

Jim saw the trees pulled across the road and knew he'd never make it over the obstruction. The three masked cowboys who pulled in from behind them had chosen their place well. There were trees close to the road on both sides, and a man with a shotgun sitting on a high branch had Jim and Everett covered before the coach was even at a standstill.

"No one turns around, and no one moves," the man in the tree warned them in a loud voice. "Throw those guns to the ground and no one gets hurt." Before the guards even had a chance to consider there was a masked rider with a pistol pointed straight at Kitty's head telling them, "No reason for the lady to die, gents, but if any of you makes one move that I don't like then she does. Otherwise, we'll let her go soon as the trial is over. Your choice."

Jim, Everett, and Jones let themselves be disarmed without resistance, and Riker surrendered his six gun as well. One of the masked riders came up close to the coach door and opened it wide. "Right here in front of me, little lady," he said, pulling Kitty through the door to sit in front of him on his saddle. A movement from Jones caused the rider on the far side to shoot through the window, burying a bullet in the basket at Jones' feet. The man holding Kitty lifted a gun, but she grabbed his hand as it went off, directing the bullet into the door.

"No! No more shooting. I'll go with them," she yelled. "Thaddeus you tell Matt not to follow me. I don't want anyone else hurt."

"That's a smart decision, miss," called the man in the tree. "Now you gents all step out the far side. Other lady goes up on the box. Nothin' bad's gonna happen as long as everyone behaves. You two on the box, help that missus climb up and then you get down on the far side as well. First one who makes a move I don't like, the lady takes a shot."

The rider holding Kitty had already retreated a ways down the road behind them. From that viewpoint she watched as Mrs. Riker was installed in Jim Buck's place and Jim and Everett stepped down the far side of the coach. The remaining riders walked the four men a few yards off the road and made them lay down on the ground. The other man climbed down from his post in the tree and walked over to use both barrels of his shotgun on the rear wheel of the coach – destroying the wheel and causing the axle to crack as the wheel fell. He then unhitched his horse from back in the trees, mounted, and headed towards Kitty. As the other horses retreated towards them as well, Kitty saw both Thaddeus and Jim begin to move, and heard two shots from one of the riders hit the coach where Mrs. Riker was still sitting bolt upright in front.

"I told you fellas not to move as long as you could hear our horses." the shootist sang out towards where the men were again flat on the ground. "I can still shoot that nice lady right through. Now do as you're told!"

And that was the last that Kitty saw as her captor kicked his horse into a canter and headed out east of the road. The other three riders came behind, single file Before long, one of the riders, Kitty thought it was the one from the tree, moved up to lead the file, and ten minutes later, yet another rider moved up in front of him. They went on in this way for perhaps an hour, when Kitty, riding in front again, noticed them angling towards a stand of cottonwoods in a creek bed ahead. The rider who now came up to the front of the file was a stranger to her, riding a broad-backed Appaloosa mare. His face wasn't masked, although the other riders had kept their masks in place.

Kitty's rider drew up to a gnarly old cottonwood with branches sticking out flat left and right. He shifted Kitty until she was sitting pillion on a wide limb, tipped his hat to her, and pulled his horse away. The unmasked rider pulled his horse up close to the branch and swung Kitty up in both arms. He wasn't as big a man as Matt, but his strength surprised her. Holding his horse tight with his knees, he lifted Kitty easily and settled her at the front of his saddle.

"Any shooting?" he asked.

"Nothing that wasn't planned," the head rider answered. "I had to take two shots towards that lady on the box."

"Hit anything?" asked the man on the Appaloosa.

"Just what I aimed at," the man snorted, "There's a carpetbag and a leather valise both with bullet holes in them."

The man holding her kicked his horse into the creek bed and they started off slowly upstream. Kitty saw over his shoulder that the other riders were making a mess of the creek bank, riding back and forth over it and around under the trees. As they moved out again, she watched the column of horses parallel her own ride down the creek to the east, passing each other in turn, before the creek bed finally turned south and she and her new mount moved with it. Kitty turned to face forward, crooking a leg around the saddle horn, and feeling the man's hands steady her as she moved. They rode on silently, but the arm curled around her body continued to move gradually but gently until his left hand was laid against her breast, and the right hand holding the Appaloosa's reins was resting lightly between her legs just where her right thigh lifted around the horn.

Kitty sighed. "Mr. Reardon, I think we need to talk."

"You go on ahead and call me Frank, miss." he replied, "I'd say we're bound to be friends."

"Well, Frank, that was certainly my first thought. You go ahead and call me Kitty, and you go ahead and move your hands."

"Yes, ma'am," Frank responded with enthusiasm, but the way he moved them wasn't quite what Kitty had in mind.

She found herself gasping just a little, and it wasn't quite all with laughter. Kitty caught her breath, and started again, "Frank, Matt tells me you're the best friend he ever had."

"Proud to hear that, Kitty. He's certainly the best friend I've got. Known him since we were mustered out from the Union army and started riding home on the same trail." Frank's hands hadn't stopped their soft rubbing against her breast and thigh.

"So were you planning on staying friends with him after today, Frank?" she enquired, keeping her voice level but making it hard.

Frank's hands paused, and his voice was curious, "You thinkin' you might have something to say that could bring about that effect, Kitty? Matt and I've been ridin' together a long time."

"And I'd surely hate to see that change, Frank," she said calmly, "But I'm tellin' you right now that it would."

Frank rode on without speaking for a few paces, and his hands moved back where they belonged. He pulled up his mare where the creek ran shallow over a sandy ford. "You're gonna get your feet a little wet here, Kitty. You just pull up your skirts so they stay dry. I'm going to get down and then lift you up behind the saddle. You want to sit astride or sideways, ma'am?"

"We going to have run for it, Frank?" she asked.

"Not likely but it's always possible. We've got another couple hours to go, and we'll be comin' out of this creek in about half a mile where there's a road that crosses," he told her.

"Then I'd better sit astride. Gives me a better seat if you have to go for it." Kitty answered, pulling her skirts and petticoats up around her knees. Frank stepped down into the water and then lifted her down beside him and helped her re-mount and swing a leg over behind the saddle. He looked forward and stroked the Appalossa's neck while Kitty shuffled about a bit pulling her petticoats under her to pad the horse's rump and leaving her skirt swinging free enough to cover her legs. "I'm set, Frank," she said, and he swung up before her.

"You have my apology, ma'am," he told her with quiet sincerity, "Matt and I didn't have much time to plan this and we spent most of what time we did have on the details. He told me you were the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and I can surely understand that, but then he said I was the only one he'd be willing to trust to see you cared for properly, and, well, miss, seein' as he was smiling pretty broadly at the time, I suppose I just didn't quite understand that the right way."

Kitty hooked her hands in the side of Frank's belt and relaxed into the steady motion of the mare. "No need for an apology, Frank. We'll just leave that behind us. How'd you and Matt get all this set in that little time you had together in Hays? Never seen a stage robbery go off so smooth."

Frank laughed, and Kitty found herself liking that warm and ready laugh. "We didn't plan it in Hays, Kitty. We planned it out a hundred nights out on the trail, before and after we took to the law. We just had to agree on the numbers and the places. Matt took care of finding the holdup men – I've no idea who they were – and of telling the men on the stage just enough to have them act right."

"The riders were boys from Jake Worth's spread up north of Dodge." Kitty told him, "Matt must have stopped there on the way down. I recognized two of them. The young one who took me up with him was Jake's nephew, and the man in the tree was his foreman." She sat quiet for a few minutes, and then went on, "So you needed a place with trees beside the road on both sides, and a creek not too far away, and a road crossing that creek that has enough traffic to hide your horse's prints, but not so much that we're likely to meet anyone. And that road has to lead to someplace we can hide out until next week."

"You are a smart woman, Kitty Russell," Frank told her.

"I know that moving single file, and trading leads, makes it hard to tell how many riders there are, and I can see how you picking me off the tree and then riding along the creek is going to make it almost impossible to tell there was a trade off, but how are Jake's boys going to cover that single file trail?" Kitty wondered.

"I believe that Matt's rancher friend is planning on moving some cattle this afternoon," Frank replied. "That file of cowboys will move on into the herd and drop out one by one with some other riders."

They both laughed this time, and Kitty figured that if you wanted to know the best way to rob a stage, then you could do worse than asking a couple of experienced lawmen.

Kitty found herself nodding just a little as they moved down the stream. Frank pulled up where a rutted road made a shallow ford. "There's a hat and a shawl in that left saddlebag, Kitty. Might be good for you to cover up that bright hair just in case we do meet someone on the road. Kitty pulled out a broad calico sunbonnet and a wide grey shawl. She donned the sunbonnet with a sigh, but without complaint, and wrapped herself round tightly with the shawl. They turned west along the road, and she appreciated the warmth of the shawl as the sun sunk lower in the afternoon sky. Frank's arm reached back once against her thigh to catch her as she dozed, and his quiet voice, reminding her strikingly of Matt, said, "You just go ahead and lay your head against me, honey, and work those hands nice and tight into my belt. You've got nothin' in the world to fear from me, Kitty." And so she did.


	9. Chapter 9: Old Troubles Told

Chapter Nine: Old Troubles Told

Kitty snapped out of her doze as the big mare began climbing up a rougher track away from the road. It only took them a few minutes ride and a turn in behind a low hill to reach the cabin. It was a small place, with a barn that wasn't much more than a closed shed with a hayloft, but it looked neat and well cared for. There was a pump in the dooryard, and a porch along the front with two wide benches.

"Who lives here?" Kitty asked as Frank pulled up the mare and dismounted.

He reached up and lifted her off from behind the saddle. Kitty's legs almost collapsed under her and Frank kept his hands at her waist, holding her up, until she could steady herself. "No one now, but up until a couple weeks ago Ham and Sarey Mueller lived here. Bank sent Matt out here to serve eviction papers, and well, after a little talk they just packed up and lighted out for California. You go on in Kitty. I need to take care of the horses."

Her legs still a little unsteady, Kitty took the step up to the porch and then through the unlocked front door. There was a comfortably sized front room with a big fireplace, some cupboards, a table, and four chairs. She walked through and opened the only other door. It led to a smallish bedroom furnished only with a double bed and a rough washstand. Two feather ticks lay rolled on the leather lattice of the bedframe, with a couple of quilts and pillows stacked beside them. There was a metal basin on the washstand. It was all bare but relatively clean. Frank came up behind her as she was still looking around.

"There's a privy round the side of the house, but I didn't think to bring a pot. Sorry. I came up last night with a wagon and brought the bedding and some food and things, but I just slept in the barn. You think you'll be okay here?" Frank asked.

"I think we'll be just fine, Frank. I'm still amazed that you and Matt got this all worked out in such a short time," she replied, moving back into the main room. "You want to start a fire for me, and let me see what there is to cook?"

She found out that what there was to cook was mainly an antelope that Frank had shot on the way in the day before and hung in the barn. He butchered a haunch and brought it in for her while she pumped water into a bucket and used it to fill the kettle hanging over the fireplace. A wooden box on the table contained enough fixings to keep them easily for a week. Two bottles of decent whiskey were the first thing she found, and Kitty sorted deeper to find coffee, sidemeat, potatoes, flour, and a few other necessaries along with tin cups, plates, and forks.

"Matt said the Muellers packed up most of their things, but left the furniture, so I just brought what I thought you'd need." Frank said.

"You going to stay here with us, Frank?" Kitty asked, starting to put together a stew.

Frank shook his head. "I need to start back by noon tomorrow, Kitty," he said, "But I figure Matt will be here in time for breakfast."

Kitty disagreed. "I'm expecting him before midnight."

"Well, I suppose we'll see, but the way I figure it, Jim Buck or that young guard - Jones was it? - one of them'll take a horse in to La Crosse and send a telegram to Dodge. Matt can't do anything until he gets the telegram, and then he'll have to argue some to keep a posse from forming, and I'd be surprised if he gets out before four or five."

Kitty smiled. "He didn't tell me much, but he did say this place is only about six hours from Dodge. It'll take him an extra hour because he'll have to start out up the coach road, but I don't think he'll stay on it long. I wouldn't be surprised to see him by ten."

"You think he'll ride on after dark, Kitty?" Frank asked doubtfully. Kitty just hummed a little and started peeling potatoes.

She and Frank ate about eight when the stew was ready and the biscuits were hot. She swung the kettle as far over away from the fire as possible, hoping the keep the stew warm but not let it burn. She knew Matt would be hungry.

Frank ate with appetite, and wiped his plate with a second biscuit. "Doesn't seem fair, honey," he said, "You're beautiful, you can fuck, and you can cook too. You have any more hidden talents?"

"I can sew when I have to, but I don't like it much. I'm pretty good at doing the books on a business, and making deals with drummers. I can swim, and I can ride sidesaddle, and what makes you think I can fuck?" she answered him, stacking their plates and preparing to wash them in the bucket.

Frank shrugged. "Thought you ran a whorehouse, Kitty."

"Pretty sure you didn't hear _that_ from Matt, or from Chester." she commented, waiting.

"Nope, that part was from Spike Marlow. Didn't much like that man, but he did go on, and on, about the Long Branch being a whore house run by a redhead who kept turning him down like he couldn't afford to pay." Frank looked at her speculatively, "You not a whore, Kitty?"

"No." she said, and then went on firmly, "I was. Not anymore. You have a problem with that?"

"Nope, I like whores – the right kind, of course. How long you do that, Kitty?"

"About seven years."

He whistled. "You must have started mighty young."

"My father left me at the Golden Lily in New Orleans the day after my fourteenth birthday. I worked there nearly four years," she looked up at him questioningly, "What do you mean, the right kind?"

"Women who like men. Like to have a good time – laugh and drink. Like the money they earn. You that kind?" he enquired, watching her.

Kitty gave it some thought, and then shook her head. "I like men, well, I like the right men, and these days that's just one man. And I sure liked the money, but I didn't like not having a choice. Some of the places and some of the men here on the plains were mighty rough. Some men weren't bad. Some tried to give me a good time," she sighed, "But you never really knew which was going to be which."

"Don't know as I ever looked at it like that," Frank said, "Women mostly like me, and I like them, so we just enjoy what we do. But I suppose, for a woman, it's kind of like a turn on the roulette wheel – black or red and only now and then you get a double zero."

"New Orleans was better, some ways." She said after they were silent for a while, watching the fire. "I was expensive, and they mostly treated me right, and the men who could afford me, well, they respected what I could give them."

"Bet you were more expensive than I could afford." Frank commented with a grin. "Why'd you leave?"

"The Lily charged as much as fifty dollars a night for me, Frank, if a man wanted something special, and I never saw a penny of it. I suppose, in the long run, that's why I left."

She watched him get up and stir the fire. He sat back on the floor, one leg stretched out in front of him, and the other pulled up against his chest with his arm curled around it. The pose was so reminiscent of Matt that it almost hurt. "That's bad, Kitty. How'd you get out?"

She shrugged, "A man. He helped me run. I thought he loved me. But he didn't. He left me in Galveston."

"You ever see him again?"

"Yes." Frank sat quiet, waiting for her to speak. Finally she did. "Matt shot him. In Dodge. Robbing a bank."

"Matt know?"

"Not until after. I told him. And Doc."

"When did you stop whoring, Kitty?"

"'Bout two years ago, when Matt helped me buy into the Long Branch."

"Matt?" Frank's surprise was evident, "Where'd he get money?"

"He took bounties all one winter, whenever he could."

Frank stood up. Walked back and forth across the small room. "Kitty, most lawmen take bounties when they can. Only way to earn a decent living at this trade. But Matt… he and I had this out a lot of times over the years. He wouldn't take money for killing. Wouldn't do it."

Kitty's voice was very soft. "He did for me, Frank."

Frank stood for a while leaning an arm against the mantle beam. When he looked at her again, he asked, "You two make a deal about it?"

This time Kitty laughed, really laughed, and Frank had to smile just hearing her. "Not the one you're thinkin', Frank. I don't think Matt ever even considered the idea he was buying me. It's… it's not like that for us, Frank."

They didn't talk for a while. Frank poured them more coffee. Kitty stood up and got the bottle from the shelf and tipped a good slug of whiskey into each cup. She sat down again, holding the warm cup between her hands, sipping slowly. "Go on, Frank. Ask the rest."

"You run a string of girls, Kitty? There at the Long Branch?"

"Best girls in town, Frank. Clean, pretty. They smile and flirt and dance and serve drinks, and sometimes, if a fella asks nice and they like his looks, they go upstairs. But not all of them do that. I've always got one or two that sleep alone – mostly saving to marry some cowboy or other. It's always their choice, Frank. I'd quit the business before I'd force them take trade, or let my partner do that." She was back to sighing again. "Bill's not the best partner in the world, Frank. He's mostly honest, but he's mostly weak. We fight sometimes about him not getting rough enough with the cowboys or doing enough to protect the girls. I'll buy him out someday, I suppose."

Frank's voice was genuinely curious now, "If you didn't like it for yourself, Kitty, then why'd you stay in the business?"

Kitty took her time. "That's a good question, Frank. Doc asks me, now and then, why I don't sell out and do something else. But, well, it's what I know. I'm good at it. A lot better than most. Bill and I make twice as much with me running things as he did on his own." She stopped. He didn't comment. "I like the Long Branch, Frank. I like talking and laughing with the men. I like the kinds of conversation we can have in a saloon – it's a lot more fun than a Ladies Aid meeting, and that's for sure." Her pause was longer this time. "And partly I guess I want to run the kind of place where I would have liked to work. Where I do like to work. I treat my girls well, and I pay them well, and I protect them as best I'm able."

He looked over and saw the tears streaming silently down her face, and went to kneel by her chair. "And that's why Marlow killing that young girl bothered you so much? You felt like you should have protected her, and you didn't?" Kitty nodded, but she couldn't speak. "You take time to cry over that yet, Kitty?" he asked. She shook her head, surprised even at the question. "Well, you just take some time now, honey." Frank set her coffee on the table, and put both arms around her, holding her head against his shoulder. And she did cry. Not just tears, but big sobs – for Ellie, and for Johnny, and for being scared, and for not knowing what to do next.

Kitty didn't cry long, and when she raised her head, Frank was quick to let her go. She went to the basin in the bedroom and washed her face. It wouldn't do for Matt to find her with tear stains on her face. "Thank you for that," she said, her eyes still turned away from him. "In my business, that's not something I make a habit of letting myself do."

"Women need to cry some, Kitty. Helps them get through things. Men, we fuck, or fight, or shoot, or sometimes nothing will serve but killing. Women mostly don't do that. You don't cry on Matt?"

"Not if I can help it. It hurts him too much."

"He always was an ignorant son of a bitch." Frank said savagely. "You listen to me, Kitty, and find someone who lets you cry sometimes. A woman friend maybe. Maybe Doc. You just take that advice from me."

Kitty looked over where he sat across the table from her in the firelight. "Why are we talking about all this, Frank? I just met you today, and I'm telling you things I've never even told Matt."

"I want to hear it from you, Kitty, need to hear it from you. There's going to be a trial, and I'm guessing I'm going to hear a deal of other stories. I want to know the truth."

"What makes you think I'm telling you the truth?" Kitty wanted to know.

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Well then."

In the end, Kitty was right. The two of them talked some more, and drank a little more, and Frank told her stories about he and Matt cowboying and working the law in Texas, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. About eleven, they heard hoofbeats, and Frank doused the light and pulled his gun before opening the door.

"That you, Matt?" he called out.

"It's me, Frank," came Matt's familiar voice, "Kitty?"

"I'm here, Matt." She was lighting the lamp again as he came in the door. Her eyes devoured the tall figure, meeting his eyes and smiling into them, but she walked towards the fire. "Have a seat, Matt, and let me get you something to eat."

Matt shrugged off his coat and hung it, with his hat, on a hook by the door. She noticed he kept on his gunbelt. "Getting chilly out there." He commented, taking a seat. "Everything go the way we planned, Frank?"

"Seems so." Frank replied, "You can ask Kitty for the details. Pretty damn sure we weren't followed up here, and I'd just like to see someone track us from where I picked up Kitty."

Kitty put a plate of stew and biscuits in front of Matt, and went to pour him coffee. When she came back with it, Matt touched her hand for just a moment as she set the cup in front of him. He looked up at her, "You okay, Kitty?"

"Parts of me are a little sore, but I'll get over that," she said, looking into his eyes, "I'm fine, Matt."

Frank wasn't sure what to think. Seeing them together for the first time wasn't what he had expected. He'd thought at first that she would run to him, but she hadn't. The only time he'd touched her had been that brief moment when she handed him his coffee. Their conversation had been cordial but eminently practical. But the look that passed between them now…

"For love is as strong as death, and it burns like a blazing fire." Frank recited quietly.

Matt looked across at him, "You spent the whole day lookin' at Kitty and that's the best you can give us from the Song, Frank?"

"Her hair is like a crimson tapestry, and the young king is held captive by its tresses." Frank answered back.

Matt nodded, "That's better." He took a drink of his coffee, "This is good, Kitty. Frank been telling you your breasts are like two fawns and your neck like an ivory tower?"

Kitty shook her head, "We talked about a number of things, Matt, but I don't believe he mentioned my breasts, and the antelope that went into that stew is as close as we got to a fawn." She looked from one to the other, "You gentlemen care to tell me what's going on here?"

Matt laughed and reached out at last to put an arm around her waist and pull her in to him. "Frank has a number of bad habits, Kitty, and one of them is reading the Bible."

Frank headed towards the door. "I'll put up your horse, Matt, and then I'm going to sleep. We can talk at breakfast."

"I'll need my saddle bags, Frank." Matt told him, "Or at least Kitty will be a sight more comfortable if she has what's in them."

Frank brought in the saddlebags and laid them on the table, took his hat from the rack, and closed the door behind him.

"Now what did you do to make Frank shy?" Matt asked Kitty, finishing his meal and pulling her onto his lap.

Kitty snorted. "I like your Frank, Matt. I like him a lot. But I don't think I'd call him shy." She yawned once and laid her head against him, "Could we go to bed now, please?"

Matt carried the lamp into the little back room and they spread the two feather beds on top of each other and covered them with a quilt. Kitty stripped off her traveling dress and hung it on a hook and then began taking off her under things. Matt hung the saddlebag over the foot of the bed but Kitty ignored it, lying down naked on top of the quilt. He carefully placed his gunbelt on the bedpost where he could reach it, took off his clothes, and blew out the lamp stretching out next to her. Kitty moved to lie alongside of him and put a very sleepy head on his shoulder. "Matt?"

"Hmmm?"

"You mind if we just go to sleep?" she asked.

"I can hold you?" he asked in return, and she snuggled against him in answer.

"Nothing that won't wait until tomorrow, Kitty," his deep voice told her. He kissed her lightly, and pulled the second quilt over them. "Go to sleep, sweetheart," Matt said, but she already was.


	10. Chapter 10: Troubles Shared

Chapter Ten: Troubles Shared

Matt woke at first light. The room was chill, but Kitty was warm against him. He kissed her softly, but she didn't stir, so he worked his way smoothly out of the bed, wrapping both quilts around her like a bunting. Matt pulled on his britches and carried the rest of his clothes into the front room to dress. There were still coals glowing from last night's fire, so he added wood and stirred it up, hoping to warm the room before Kitty got up. When the fire was burning well, he went out and found the privy and then headed for the barn.

Frank Reardon was awake, and pretty much for the same reason – too many years of riding trail. He held out a hand to Matt, something he hadn't done the night before, and they shook warmly. "Kitty still asleep?" Frank asked.

"Yeah. She doesn't usually get up until late." Matt smiled, remembering, "She's still fussin' at me about getting her up at nine one morning couple a years ago, said it was the middle of the night."

"Let's feed those horses, _compadre_," Frank said, "And then we've got some talking to do." Frank climbed into the loft and tossed down armfuls of hay that Matt carried to the three horses. That done, the two men settled companionably on a bench outside the barn door and watched as the sun rose above the hills.

"Seems like there's a few things you forgot to tell me about this little spree, Matt." Frank began.

"Oh? I thought we mostly got it covered that day in Hays." Matt lifted a big hand and started ticking things off on his fingers. "You locked up Marlow. You sent a deputy down with Chester to handle things in town. You found the cabin and brought us up a wagon. You met up with the boys from the Worth place. You got Kitty up here safe and sound. I'd say we did pretty well."

"That part of it worked fine, Matt." Frank went on, chewing on a seeded stalk of hay. "Couple things you forgot to tell me though." He stopped to spit the seeds out and put the straw back in his mouth. "About Kitty."

Matt grinned. "I told you she was the most beautiful women I'd ever met," he commented, "And that I knew I could count on you to take care of her."

"You didn't tell me you were in love with her, Matt." Frank said.

And that left them quiet for a time. "I didn't even say that to Kitty until a couple nights ago, Frank. It's still kind of a raw subject for us both. I just wanted her safe from whoever's trying to kill her, and then I figured we could talk about it."

Frank let that sit for a few minutes then asked, "She tell you I handled her some?"

Matt turned his head sideways to look at his friend. "No," he said slowly, "She didn't."

"I didn't think she would. We worked it out. But I wanted you to know. I didn't understand, right at first, how things sat between the two of you." Frank whistled out a long sigh. "You want to knock me down, I'll stand up so's you can do it."

"Kitty's pretty good at dealing with that kind of thing herself, Frank," Matt replied with a smile. "She hurt you any?"

"Only my pride."

The two men sat silently for a while. They heard the front door open and Kitty's steps as she walked around the side of the house and then back. Matt stood up and reached a big hand down to grasp Frank's and pull him to his feet. "Breakfast?"

"Sounds good to me. There's still a few chickens scrabbling around that barn. Bet I can find us some eggs. You go on in and I'll be along."

Matt found Kitty dressed and frying up thinly sliced pieces of sidemeat at the fireplace. There was coffee boiling on the coals. "You're up early," he told her, waiting until she stood back from the fire to catch a quick kiss.

"Not as early as you, cowboy," she replied, sitting down at the table to peel and chop potatoes to fry. "That bed was mighty cold after you left it."

"I've got a couple of blankets in my saddle roll, I'll bring them in for you tonight." Matt said.

Her hands stopped moving the knife, and her chin went up a little. "You plannin' on leavin' me here by myself, Matt?" she said levelly.

Matt went to stand behind her and stroked her shoulder and her hair, "No, I'm not, Kitty. I'm sorry. I just meant I'll bring in the blankets to keep us warmer tonight."

The smile she threw up at him was sunny, "Bet we can find a couple good ways to keep warm."

Matt laughed, "Bet we can at that."

The three of them ate, and Kitty washed up. When she was done, she took one of the chairs out to set on the porch and the two men drifted over to sit with her, Matt on the step and Frank a little behind her on one of the benches. He tipped his hat partly over his face, but managed it so he could look sharply at the both of them.

"Now," Kitty said, "I'm tired of being left out of this whole thing. You gentlemen tell me what's going on."

Matt started. "We didn't find who shot at you as the coach left, Kitty. By the time Chester and I got around back to the alley there was no one there, and no way to see where anyone might have gone. So we're still left with the idea that someone doesn't want you to testify against Marlow and is willing to kill you to keep you from doing it. Too many strangers in town, even this time of year, to even pick out a suspect."

"That Marlow fella has a mouth." Frank went on. "He's been talkin' ever since we locked him up. Not too many people to listen, but the word is getting around. He's got himself a lawyer and the lawyer's seein' to that. What he's sayin' is that he had all the women from the Lady Gay and then all the women from the Long Branch and then rode out when Kitty here got sassy with him afterwards and pulled a gun. Says he paid fair and square and no complaints. Says he didn't know that other girl was dead or anything about it."

"What good does it do him, Frank," Kitty asked, "To pass those stories around in Hays when the trial is going to be in Dodge?"

"Word gets around, darlin'," Frank told her, "By the time I get Marlow down to Dodge Thursday evening, the rumors will be all through the town. And likely his lawyer will come down on the stage on Wednesday to be sure the word gets around."

He went on, watching Matt's mouth get grimmer. "So here's how I see it. They're going to get the story of the girl's death from Doc and from Matt and from Chester. And all they can say is they heard shots and came running up to find you, Kitty, standing there with a gun and some man rolling out the window of the girl's room. Doc will tell them she was strangled with a pillow. Then they'll put Marlow on the stand and he'll say that he had Ellen Sue and left her sleeping, and then went and had Kitty, and while they were playin' someone came in and attacked the girl. She started screaming, and they both ran in, and then Kitty got scared and turned on him so he ran. Didn't even know the girl was dead."

"You think a jury will believe that, Matt?" Kitty asked.

"Depends on who's on the jury." Matt hesitated, and then went on, "And it depends on your testimony, Kitty. A lot of men in Dodge respect you, feel you're an honest woman. But some don't. Just be glad that jury will be men, not women."

"Praise God for small favors gratefully received," exclaimed Frank fervently.

"All I can do is get on the stand and tell them what really happened. And Bill and Sam and Gabrielle and Mariah – that has to count for something." Kitty said.

"It does, but maybe not enough. No one else saw Spike. It all comes down to your testimony, Kitty." Frank said, "And whether or not they believe you."

"There's more." Frank started, but Matt interrupted him with a look. "No, Matt, we have to talk about it. Kitty and I talked some last night, and I believe she can handle it better than you think." Frank tipped back his hat and looked straight at Matt, "I'm more worried about you than her, Matt. Your temper's slower but once it starts to burn you might set the whole house afire."

Kitty scooted her chair back until she was looking directly at him, "Tell me, Frank. Just tell it straight."

"Here's what they're going to ask, Kitty," he said. "And what is your profession, Miss Russell?"

"I keep the Long Branch saloon." Kitty said proudly.

"And that's a whore house, is it?" Frank asked.

"No, it's a saloon."

"And you have girls working in your saloon?"

"Prettiest girls in town." Kitty replied, and Frank nodded encouragingly.

"And they take customers up to their rooms to sell them more than just whiskey?"

Kitty shrugged, "Some of them do that from time to time."

"So Spike Marlow went upstairs with each of your girls, Miss Russell?"

"No only with three, with Stella, and then Mariah, and then Gabrielle."

"But Mr. Marlow has testified that he paid for all four of the girls, paid gold, and that he was with Ellen Sue Neely that Saturday night before he came to your room. Did you know he'd been with Ellen Sue before he came to your bed, Miss Russell?"

Matt stood up. "That's enough, Frank!"

"No, Matt, it's not." Reardon said quite gently. He stood and turned to Kitty again, "Did you scream when Mr. Marlow entered your room, Miss Russell? Why didn't you scream, Miss Russell? Why did you wait until after the two of you were through sporting to pull a gun on him? Did you think he wasn't going to pay you, Miss Russell, or had you maybe just raised your prices and that's what caused the argument?"

Matt strode over and aimed a fist at his friend's face, but Frank caught it in both hands before it landed. "They're going to ask you questions you can't possibly answer straight, Kitty. They're going to try to break you down, and they're going to try to make Matt so mad that he starts swinging."

Kitty looked at the two of them, Matt furious, and Frank's eyes sad. "All I can do is tell the truth and count on the judge to slow him down if he asks too many questions at once. I will not stand back and let him get away with murder."

Frank nodded agreement with that. "Judge Beck is a holy terror, Kitty, and if he thinks someone's trying to steamroll him, he's gonna get mad himself, and that's all in our favor. You just have to stay calm, laugh at that lawyer when you can, and ask the judge for help when you don't understand the questions or they come too fast. You're a brave girl and mighty bright lady, I think maybe you can do it."

Frank dropped the fist he was still holding and raised a hand to the nape of Matt's neck to shake him. "Matt, you've either got to get hold of yourself or stay out of town. You can let Doc and Chester testify. We can get someone else to 'rescue' Kitty and take her back to Dodge on Thursday and you can just stay out on the trail lookin' for her. We've both been through trials like this before. You know what you have to do." Frank slapped him lightly on the shoulder and then turned and walked away towards the barn.

Kitty went over and wrapped her arms around Matt's waist. He put both arms around her and spoke into her hair, "I don't know how to do this, Kitty."

Kitty leaned back, loosening his arms but holding hers clasped tight at his waist. She looked up into his face. "Well, Matt, you've got about five days to learn. I'll help you all I can, Matt, but I _am_ going to do this."

"Then I guess I am too." Matt told her.

Kitty smiled up at him, "Love works like that, Matt, it goes both ways." He kissed her then and she didn't ever think he would stop.

OoOoO

They all three let the subject slide for a while. Kitty baked up more biscuits so Frank would have something better than jerky to eat while he rode back to Hays. They speculated some on the gold robbery, but unless the money showed up, or Marlow confessed, there didn't seem to be anything further to do about that. Matt remembered that the Muellers had mentioned a garden, and they all three went twisting through the shallow gully behind the house to find it tucked in next to a tiny spring and surrounded by a neat picket fence. Kitty picked what tomatoes and beans she could carry in her skirt, and brought them back to the cabin to cut up for dinner. Matt was mostly quiet, Kitty only a little subdued, and Frank lively enough to make up for both of them.

After they ate, and while Kitty cleaned up and sat on the porch stringing beans for supper, Matt went out to the barn to help Frank saddle up for his trip back to Hays. They stood on either side of the big Appaloosa, Matt rubbing the horse down with a handful of straw while Frank packed the last things in his saddle bags.

"I wish I knew better what to do here, Frank," Matt said when they'd wasted about all the time they could without talking. "Not just about Marlow and the trial." Frank looked over at him, "About Kitty, too."

"Now you stop me if I'm wrong here, Matt," Frank said, "But it looks to me like you're not just askin' me for help here – marshal to sheriff – you're askin' me for advice. That so?"

"Yeah, that's so." Matt replied, his head down, hands busy on the Appaloosa's coat.

"Well then I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and I'll give you some advice. Likely you won't listen to it, but I'm gonna give it to you anyway." Reardon reached across the mare's back and laid a hand on Matt's arm, holding it still. "Do you love me, Matt?"

Matt looked across at him a little curiously, but without embarrassment. "You know I do, Frank. More than a brother."

Frank held his eyes, "And I'd take a bullet for you, Matt, any given day, or kill a man just on your say so because I trust your judgment same as I do my own – maybe more. But we're men. No need for us to talk about things like that. We know, and that's enough. Women are different. When you told her you loved her did you make that a happy thing for her?"

Matt shook his head slowly, thinking back to how scared and almost angry he'd been that night. His declaration had forced its way between his teeth, but it sure hadn't been a happy thing for either of them.

Frank grimaced and blew out a slow breath, "Cowboy, you've got that woman so damn frightened of loving you that she's likely to leave you just because she thinks you might be better off without her. Now you listen to me. Hear what I say. You've got five days up here with her. That's five days to show her she's the most important thing in your life – maybe not forever, but day by day for those five days she needs to know that nothin' else is as important to you as she is. Not Marlow, not the trial, not Dodge, not nothin'. You do that for five days and then you see how she feels, and how you feel, and maybe, just maybe, you'll be ready to figure out how to spend your lives together."

He took his hand off Matt's arm and cuffed him lightly across the face, "And if you decide, or she decides, that it's not going to work for the two of you, then, by the great Lord Jehovah, Matt, you come and tell me straight out 'cause I'll court that woman for all I'm worth and I'd marry her in a Mississippi minute if she'd have me. I sure as hell wish I'd seen her first."

Frank hefted his saddle across the mare, tightened the girths and led the Appaloosa into the yard. Matt watched as he laid an arm around Kitty's shoulders and gave her a quick kiss before swinging up and riding out down the trail. Matt swept a hand back over his hair and whistled through his teeth. _"Damn,"_ he thought, _"I sure didn't see that one comin'."_


	11. Chapter 11: No Troubles at All

Chapter Eleven: No Troubles at All

N * O * T * E

I've had some discussion with other readers and writers about Matt being fairly articulate in my stories. I know there are different takes on this. And I think several different ideas are valid. There are certainly times (seems to me especially in the later shows) when he is laconic to the point of idiocy. (For example in KLA when she says "It's hard to throw away eighteen years" and he replies, "Yeah.") But the other swing of the pendulum is those early shows where he would walk boot hill and give a little verbal essay on the fate of man and the fate of mankind. I try to draw something in-between. But my viewpoint is that, comfortable among his friends, or, alternately, when taking charge of a situation or problem, he is certainly neither shy not inarticulate. Not being defensive here – just sharing my writing viewpoint with my GS buddies. Always pleased to see discussion on things like this in the comments or in PMs.

E * N * D * * *N * O * T * E

Matt walked into the yard and put both arms around Kitty from behind, and they watched as Frank rode slowly out of sight without turning. Kitty rested herself back against him and crossed her arms over his. They stood like that for quite a while before Matt turned her around to face him. "You know how it feels some nights, 'specially when there's something we want to talk about, and we're just waitin' for the last couple customers to leave the Long Branch so we can close up and be alone and quiet together?" he asked.

Kitty smiled at that. "Don't I just, Cowboy," she replied.

"Seems to me like we've just been goin', and goin', and goin' since the night Ellie died with too much to do, and too many people, and no chance to just be with each other – at least while we're awake." Matt tipped up her chin and kissed her lightly then looked into her eyes, "I've heard from everybody else on this, Kitty, but what I really want is to hear from you. You going to make it through all this, Kitty?" He stopped and cupped her cheek with his hand, "Are we going to make it through, Kitty?"

Kitty tilted her face and said a little curiously, "Well, I've been wondering that some myself, Matt. I thought a couple nights ago maybe we really had something," she turned her eyes down to look at his chest, "And then I thought maybe you just made a mistake and weren't sure what to do about it."

"Look at me, Kitty," he said, and she did. "Only mistake I made was choosin' the wrong time for that conversation. I was tired, and you were mad, and we had too many things happening at once." Matt laughed a little ruefully, "We pretty much always have too many things going on at once, don't we?" Kitty nodded agreement to that, and he continued, "How about you let me start again? Now, when we're really alone and we have some time together. We've been pretty good at talkin' things out with each other over the last few years, haven't we?"

"We have, Matt." Kitty agreed. She took a deep breath and raised her chin to smile at him, "All right, Matt, you go ahead and say it the way you really think."

That smile cut him through. Matt saw that she expected him to retract his declaration. He could see her setting herself to accept that without complaint. "Oh, honey, don't. Don't think that. I do love you, and I want you to know that, and I want you to count on it. I've just told myself for so many years that I _couldn't_ love you, that it took almost losing you this time to get it through my thick head that my heart had already made the choice."

Matt cradled her head in his hand and held it against his chest. "I know I'm making a mash of this, Kitty, and I'm sorry. Every time I think I have the right words, something happens and they all just fly away from me. But we've got some time and some space here for a few days. We can talk it out as much as we want. You tell me what you need to hear and I'll find a way to say it."

"I think you're doing just fine, Matt," Kitty told him.

He stood back from her a little, his hands on her shoulders. "You do?"

"Mmm hmm."

He waited a little, hoping for more of a response. Realizing that despite the fact that he'd been so intent on getting his own feelings out, and so sure of hers, that he'd never actually heard a response from her. She met his eyes, both eyes and lips smiling, but she didn't give him the words he wanted. He bent to kiss her. That would be enough for now. He couldn't, and wouldn't, push her any more than she had pushed him. But a little lick of worry spurted in his chest. He started to draw back when her arms came around his neck and she drew his head down to lay her cheek against his. "I love you, Matt. I have for a long time. But I couldn't say it to you, not really, until I was sure you were ready to hear it."

OoOoO

Looking back, later, on those early autumn days at the cabin they remembered them as isolated bits of action and spurts of conversation, rather than as a sequence of events.

OoOoO

They both remembered that first night after Frank left. They made love in the rough little bed through most of the night, starting and stopping, resting and starting again. Matt hadn't known he had that in him, would have thought it bragging to even contemplate it, but every time it was over, and he lay holding her, loving her, trying to get his breath back, somehow slowly it would start again. When the night grew cool, Matt padded barefoot and naked into the front room and made up the fire, leaving the door between the rooms open for warmth as he came back to spread the two rough woolen blankets from his bedroll over their top quilt.

"Those smell like horses." Kitty told him, and when he climbed in next to her and pulled her warm body against his cold skin she made a show of smelling him all over. "You smell like horses, too, Matt."

He laughed and rolled her under him, sniffing her, "And I'm too much of a gentleman to tell you what you smell like, Kitty."

But she only joined his laughter, "I smell like fucking, Matt, and so do you." She spread her legs apart and ran her nails over his buttocks. "Bet you can't do it again, Cowboy."

"I know I can't," he snorted, "And you know it too. Now lay still and go to sleep." But she didn't lay still, and, after a while, he did do it again.

OoOoO

Kitty remembered cooking more meals, with fewer supplies, than she'd ever done in her life. She remembered Matt teaching her to skin a rabbit and to pluck a chicken. She remembered sunny hours in the little left over garden, pulling weeds to no purpose among rows of vegetables soon to be abandoned to frost and wildlife. She thought about the cycle of planting and growing and picking and canning – remembering the rows of glass jars in Bess Roninger's cellar and wondered how that was done and if she could ever learn. They both remembered eating sun warmed tomatoes until their mouths were sore from the acid, and sometimes, years down the road, just looking at a plate of ripe tomato slices would leave them smiling into each other's eyes

OoOoO

Matt exercised both horses, and spent time exploring the small homestead. It was perfect as a hideaway, as a retreat, but almost useless as a working place. There wasn't enough land for stock and the rolling hills and gully made it equally worthless for real planting. But he did find a creek not too far away and a small stand of cottonwoods. He cut poles to go with the line and hooks in his saddlebag, and got Kitty up bareback on the little mare to ride out and spend time fishing. She brought soap and they ended up washing each other in the shallow water and sitting naked in the sun to dry.

OoOoO

"What would it be like, Matt, really living on a place like this?" she asked wistfully one time. "I know we're just playin' at it now, but sometimes I wonder…"

"Hard work, Kitty, and lots of it. Dawn to dark every day, even with a decent place and enough stock to start out," he answered, but he sighed because he'd been thinking the same thing.

"It could be good, though," she said softly, "Even if it was hard."

"I know it could, Kitty," he said regretfully, "But I can't. I'm responsible for too many other things right now. Things other people can't do."

"I know that, Matt," she told him plainly. "Sometimes I just get to thinking. I know it's not real, but sometimes I can't help thinking."

"Neither can I, Kitty, neither can I."

OoOoO

One afternoon they did something, he did something, that changed, at least a little, the way things worked between them. He tried later to remember when it had happened. It couldn't have been the first day, they weren't quite comfortable enough with each other yet, and he didn't think it was the last day before they left, but more than that he couldn't really pin it down. It was afternoon, and almost hot. They'd been up early for fishing and washing and were laying naked on the bed with all the windows open while their clothes dried spread out on the porch and on a makeshift line. The afternoon sun threw a shaft through the small back window that highlighted the red curls between her legs, and Matt couldn't help but let his hands follow that spear of light, spreading her thighs apart and touching her.

Kitty lay half asleep, letting him play, too relaxed to respond with more than a soft hum of contentment until with sudden and startling intensity she felt his mouth on her. "It's pink," he said, "I always thought it would be white, like a real pearl, but it's pink."

"Matt." She knew her voice was calm, but there must have been an edge to it because he stopped what he was doing.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Kitty," he said.

"You didn't hurt me, Matt, but you don't want to do that."

His hands were back stroking her lightly, caressing her. She'd always loved that. So many men she'd known had no idea there was even anything there to do, much less how to do it. "Why not?" he asked. "I like it when you use your mouth on me." He kissed her again. She felt his wet tongue licking softly against her pearl and couldn't keep back a gasp.

She put a hand down, tugging a little at his hair, lifting his face from her. "Matt, honey, men don't do that," she said it very gently, but kept her voice firm.

"You don't like it?" he asked, "Seemed to me there that you did."

"I didn't say I didn't like it, Matt." Kitty said, "I said men don't do that."

"Why?" he asked again, kissing her again.

"It's… it's not decent, Matt." And that was all the encouragement he needed. It was new to him, but he knew what she liked from his hands, and worked to do that with his mouth – kissing her, stroking her with his tongue, nibbling lightly, moving to hold her hips down and open when she began to move against him, and finally sucking softly like he did on her nipple. She spent against his mouth, gulping for air, calling his name. He moved up to hold her and found Kitty flushed and crying real tears.

Matt had never seen her disturbed with anything they did in bed, and it surprised him. He held her gently, trying unsuccessfully to will down his own excitement. "I'm sorry, Kitty. I didn't know better. Shh, now. It's alright. I won't do it again."

But there was laughter now in the tears, and she said with fervent sincerity, "I sure hope you don't mean that, cowboy." He shook his head, not understanding, and saw she was blushing, his Kitty, blushing like a schoolgirl.

"You'll have to explain that to me some day, Kitty," he told her.

"I don't know if I can, but I'd sure be embarrassed if anyone knew about that."

Matt ran his hands down her back. Letting them settle on her round bottom. Stroking there and squeezing. "You spend a lot of time, do you, Kitty, telling people about what we do in bed?" he asked.

"You know I don't, Matt," she replied a little breathless.

"Well, I don't either. So I guess if you like it, and I like it, then probably we're pretty safe."

Her hands moved over the hard length of him, stroking up and down, "Got you excited, did it?" she asked.

"It surely did." Matt replied, but she had already straddled him and was using her hands to tuck him inside her, moving against him harder than he usually liked, but this time he just rolled her over, kneed her legs farther apart, and thrust equally hard against her, surprised but pleased when she spent again, and letting her clutching muscles release him into her heat.

OoOoO

They were fishing one day when she asked him, out of the blue it seemed to him, "You and Frank ever have a woman together?"

"You mean, like, together in the same bed, on purpose?" he asked, startled.

"Mmm hmm."

"Uh, no. People do that?" He was curious.

"Sometimes. Mostly partners. Or brothers. We see it in the business from time to time. I just wondered."

They were quiet for a time, the sun warm and the water cool around their feet. She saw Matt smiling into the water, and asked him, "Want to share that thought?"

"There was a time, once, when we were with the Pawnee…" he started then petered out.

"And…" she prompted him.

"We weren't really spending time with them, just came into camp to ask some questions. Brought an antelope. They invited us to eat and stay overnight," he glanced at Kitty, this was new territory, but she just nodded and watched him expectantly. "There was an old woman. She offered me her granddaughter. I think it surprised the bucks, because they hadn't planned on that. Didn't offer Frank a woman."

"What happened then?" Kitty asked.

Matt shrugged. "After dinner we went into the tipi. Frank went over and rolled up in his blanket by the kids and the old woman. I took the girl. He never hoorahed me about it later. That could mean he just went to sleep and didn't care, or maybe that he cared a lot. Could have been either way."

"Why'd the grandmother do that, Matt? Why you and not Frank?" Kitty asked.

He laughed, but he blushed. "Grandma said she liked my blue eyes," he told her. Then, more seriously, "The old lady had blue eyes too. Might have been white once. Might not."

"That kind of thing happen a lot, Matt?" Kitty asked.

"From time to time. When I traveled with the Pawnee or the Kiowa. If they like a man, and there's enough women to go around, they give you one while you're there. It's not something you can turn down, Kitty. It would be a death insult," Matt said. "But you don't ever make a move on an Indian woman unless she's offered. Never touch one. Don't even talk to them unless there's a real cause."

"You ever wonder if there's a little blue-eyed Pawnee child of yours down in the Nations somewhere?"

Matt shook his head. "It doesn't work like that, Kitty. A child's only a 'breed if the mother goes off with a white man, outside the tribe, or if he lives with them a long time and claims her and then leaves her. If I had started a child, and it's possible I suppose, it would be an Indian – the whole band takes care of the women and children." His voice turned bitter. "They're better than whites about that."

"Sounds like." Kitty agreed, "I've seen towns do some mighty foul things to a girl – even if she was raped."

They fished some more, talking of this and that, but on the way back to the cabin Matt rode next to her, knee to knee. "Kitty."

"Yes, Matt?"

"What would you do if you got pregnant?" he asked.

Kitty sighed, "I wonder about that from time to time, but we're pretty careful. I hate that sometimes. Always counting, deciding what's safe and what's not. But it's seemed to work."

Matt stopped the horses and turned Buck around so he and Kitty were facing each other, knees touching. "Kitty, I need you to make me a promise."

"You'll have to tell me what it is, Matt," she said.

"Promise me that if you're pregnant, you'll tell me. You won't just run off somewhere and try to take care of things yourself. Promise me you'll tell me and you'll marry me."

"You really mean that, Matt?" Kitty tilted her head, her eyes on him. "I know you don't want to get married while you wear that badge. I don't understand that completely, but I've come to know it's true."

"Some things are more important than others, Kitty. While it's just the two of us, we can make different decisions, but if there were a child… Kitty, I need you to promise me that." Kitty had never seen him more serious.

"All right, Matt," she agreed. "If I think I'm going to have your baby, I'll tell you."

Matt held Buck tight with his knees and reached over to cup her face in his hand. He shook his head, "That's not enough, Kitty. I know your life is more dangerous than you let on to me. And I know there are things you won't tell me – won't let Doc tell me. Any child, Kitty, any child."

She wanted to look away, but she couldn't, so she looked him straight in the eye. "If I'm pregnant, Matt, I'll tell you."

"And let me marry you," he went on. "Is that so hard, Kitty?

"Yes, Matt, it's hard, because it could be at the wrong time and for all the wrong reasons, but yes, if I'm pregnant I'll let you give me your name. More than that I won't promise."

Matt turned Buck back towards the cabin and reached down to take her hand. They let the horses walk slowly on.

OoOoO

Their conversation about Bill Pence was over supper one night, the night they had chicken and dumplings. "I talked to Bill some, Kitty." Matt said, "He told me he wants you to buy him out. I wish you'd wait a bit."

"Oh?"

The way she said it let Matt know he was treading on thin ice. "I know he didn't let on, but he's pretty upset about Ellie. Feels it was his fault for not searching the Long Branch before closing."

Kitty's heart faltered for a minute. She'd been angry with Bill for that, but she'd taken the blame for Ellie's death on herself. It hadn't occurred to her that he would man up to his own responsibility in the incident. "He tell you that straight out, Matt?"

Matt nodded. Kitty took a breath and a bite of dumpling, went on when she was done. "It's not just that, Matt. Bill's not careful about a lot of things. And he makes some pretty nasty remarks sometimes. He came up to my room once, while Doc was there, and, well, what he said made Doc pretty mad."

But Matt just smiled at that. "Doc can handle that, Kitty, and so can you. He might even take it as a compliment."

Kitty chuckled, "I hadn't actually thought of it that way. I do love Doc, and we've never been shy of showing it, so I suppose people might wonder."

"Kitty, I know Bill's not the best partner, but he does serve a purpose. He's handy with that mallet of his, and he'll handle the shotgun if he needs to." Matt said.

"Sometimes," Kitty agreed, "Sometimes not. I've had to shoot two men with that shotgun, Matt, you know that. And if Bill had been holding it instead of me, then likely they'd have taken him more seriously and just left when they were asked. Somehow a woman with a gun is a challenge rather than a threat."

"That's one reason I'd like to see Bill stay awhile, Kitty." Matt agreed, "At least until you find someone else you can trust to help you run things."

"Maybe," she said, "Maybe the devil you know is better than the devil you don't."

They ate in silence for a while. "Where'd you learn to make dumplings, Kitty?" Matt asked her.

"Slave woman who cooked for us when I was little. Hattie was her name. She taught me to cook some."

"What happened to her?"

"My grandfather took her back to the plantation after my mother died. I only saw her once after the war, while I was at the Lily. Saw her on the street, talked to her a little. She was cooking at a boarding house then. Had her boys living with her."

"She did a good job, teaching you." Matt commented, spooning another helping onto his plate.

"Hattie was good at a lot of things, Matt. Wish I could have kept her with me."

OoOoO

It was their last night at the cabin, and it was warm instead of cool. Matt lay next to her and they listened to the night sounds through the open window. He reached over to smooth her hair. "Kitty?"

"Matt?"

"Frank talked to me some before he left. Told me he put his hands on you. That first day."

Kitty gave a little snicker, "I wondered if he'd say anything about that. You hit him?"

"Didn't feel there was a need. Was there?" he asked.

"No. He and I worked that out between us," she said.

"Tell me about that, Kitty."

She raised herself up on an elbow. "You really want to know, Matt?"

"I really want to know," he replied.

"Well, when Jake's nephew passed me off to Frank, and we rode off, he seemed to have the idea he'd been given a Christmas present. I was sitting up in front of him, and, you know, that can be pretty… intimate, if you let it." She heard Matt's low chuckle in agreement. "He had a hand on my breast and one resting between my legs. I told him to move them." She stopped, but couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice, "So he did."

"Frank does like women, Kitty." Matt chortled.

"So I figured there were two ways to handle it. I knew he was a decent man, or he wouldn't be your friend, so I figured I could make him keep his hands to himself if I was firm enough about it, but that I'd have to keep doin' the same thing over and over. So I took the easy way out."

"And what was that?" Matt asked.

"I told him you wouldn't like it." Kitty said seriously.

Matt thought about that a little. "He believe you?"

"Not the first time I said it," Kitty told him, "But yes. And he made me a good, straightforward apology. Moved me up behind him, and took good care of me on the ride in." Matt didn't say anything more, so she went on, "I really liked him, Matt. Trusted him. He made me feel safe. And he was good company."

"He liked you, too, Kitty. Told me that before he left." Matt gathered her into his arms. There was a little sadness in his voice, but it was firm and true, "Kitty, anything ever happens to me, you go to Frank for any help you need. He'll see you through, for love of me if nothing else."

"Okay, Matt. I don't like to think about it, but I'll remember that if it will make you feel better."

"It will." Matt said. "C'mere, honey. It's our last night. Let's think of good things."

"You're the best thing I know, Matt." Kitty said, and lifted her lips to kiss him slowly.

OoOoO

On Thursday morning they packed up the few things they had in Matt's saddle bags. They left the feather ticks on the bed, but Kitty folded up the quilts and put them in the cupboard in the main room, along with what was left of their supplies.

"No real way to keep mice out of the bedding," Matt said.

"I know that," Kitty replied, "But I'd want there to be something here if someone comes along, needs shelter." Matt nodded and brought in wood to stack in the fireplace, and left matches on the mantle beam.

Matt laid his saddle in the back of the wagon and tied Buck behind on a lead. Kitty looked around the empty cabin once, put the door on the latch, and went to let Matt help her climb up on the wagon seat.

The little trail out to the road was rough, and she held the seat with both hands. Once they got down to the road, things were smoother. After a while, she said, "We going to talk about Marlow, Matt?"

"I'm not going to be able to help you with that, Kitty." Matt said. "But I won't hinder you either. Frank showed me what I need to do, and I'll do it. No matter what's said, I will not let them make me show my anger."

"That's all right then, Matt," she responded, "If I don't have to worry about you, then I'll just speak out as I need to. Ellen Sue, she deserves that from me."

It was miles later, and they'd stopped once to water the mare and let her rest a little before going on. "Matt?" Kitty said.

"Yes, Kitty?"

"If they ask me about you, under oath, I'm not going to lie." Kitty told him.

"I know that, Kitty. I've known that from the first, and I wouldn't expect you to," he replied.

"Well, Matt, if they ask, and if I have to answer, then, well, I might find a way to make is sound like you're not the only lover I have. But you'd know better, wouldn't you? You'd understand?"

"I would, Kitty, but other people might not." Matt held the reins in his right hand and reached his left over to stroke her hair. "You don't have to do that, honey."

"We'll just have to see what happens, Matt." Kitty replied, "As long as you and I are straight, the rest will take care of itself."

"And that's a truth to remember." Matt said sincerely.

"You think they'll ever find the gold, Matt?" she asked a few miles later.

"I doubt it." Matt said, "Could be anywhere."

Their last bit of conversation came as they were almost to Dodge, sitting upright and a little apart on the seat, ready for the world to see them. "This last week, is it going to change anything, Matt? Anything between us, the way we live, the way we act?" Kitty asked.

"Probably not, Kitty," he said honestly, "Not right now at least."

"But it might change our expectations," Kitty suggested. "For the future," she paused, "If there is a future."

And right there on the road, Matt pulled up the mare and reached over to kiss her slowly and thoroughly. "That, sweetheart, is most certainly true." He lifted the reins and shook them, "Giddyup there."


	12. Chapter 12: Trouble in Dodge

Chapter Twelve: Troubled Times in Dodge

Matt drove the wagon right up in front of the Long Branch, but there were shouts and questions, people following them, from the moment they hit the edge of town. Bill, Kitty's girls, and half the cowboys in town, were standing on the boardwalk as Matt stepped down from the wagon and reached up to help Kitty alight.

"Where you been, Miss Kitty?" "You okay, Kitty?" "Those outlaws hurt you, honey?" All the questions came at once, but Matt barely had Kitty on the ground when a sturdy-looking older man with a Hays deputy's badge had a hand on his arm and was saying, "I'll take over now, Marshal. Name's Hark Farris."

Matt looked at him. "You'll take over what now, Deputy?"

"First thing Judge Beck did when he got here this morning was to place Miss Russell in protective custody under the Sheriff of Hays. I'll take her over to the jail," the man replied.

"You think that's really necessary, Farris?" Matt asked.

"I do," the man replied. "There've been too many attempts on her life here in Dodge, and I intend to see to it that nothing further happens."

"Matt?" Kitty asked plaintively, her voice deliberately loud enough for most of the crowd that had now settled around them to hear, "Wasn't it bad enough Sheriff Reardon keeping me holed up in that broken down shack up in the hills? All I want is a bath and a chance to change my clothes."

The deputy shook his head, "Sorry ma'am. I'll try to make you as comfortable as possible, but you need to come with me right now." He took her arm.

"Go on, Kitty. I'll go have a word with Judge Beck." Matt said.

"Bill!" Kitty called out, "You let the girls into my rooms to find me some soap and some clean clothes." She shook off the deputy's arm. "I know the way," she said and started walking across to the jailhouse. A shot rang out and Kitty felt a searing burn across her ribs as she was toppled into the dirt of the road with two large bodies on top of her. Despite the pain, she recognized one as Matt, and turned her face to see the other as Chester, lying half over her with his head up and a rifle in his hands.

She didn't lose consciousness, but things got muddled for a bit. She knew she was in Matt's arms, and she heard Doc telling him to bring her up to his office. Behind her she heard Chester arguing with the Deputy, and then there was another shot, a shotgun blast this time, and in the quiet that followed she heard a clipped New England accent saying, "Take that lady up to the doctor, Marshal. You, Farris, go guard the back of the building. Goode, I want you at the bottom of the stairs. Dillon, I want to see you at the Dodge House as soon as you get her in Doctor Adams hands. Now the rest of you, disperse this very minute or I shall have every one of you in jail for disturbing the peace."

And then she was lying on the table in Doc's office, and he was ripping open her shirtwaist. "You just go on, Matt. You can't help me here. Tell that mad jurist that I need a nurse and get him to let Ma Smalley up here. Go on now." And she knew that they were really back in Dodge and things were savagely back to normal when Matt left without even a touch of his hand on hers. What she couldn't see was his anguished look at Doc, and Doc's firm nod that let him know she wasn't badly hurt.

"Kitty, I'm going to have to turn you on your side so I can get this damn corset off of you. Can you help me here?" Doc asked her, and hissing at the pain, she turned over on her right side, feeling the sudden release in pressure as he cut the strings and turned the corset away from her side. "Okay, Kitty, you just stay like that, let's me have a good look at the wound. Don't you move."

"It sure hurts, Doc," she managed to get out.

"I know it does, honey. But you just lie still." Doc said. She heard him pulling out pans and bottles, and then he was back next to her, "This is going to hurt you, Kitty, but you need to try not to move. Can you do that for me?"

Kitty braced herself. "I can, Doc. You go ahead." And then there was cold, stinging fire as Doc poured carbolic over the wound on her side, and her mind went black.

When she woke, Kitty was still on the table. She was still turned on her side, but was naked from the waist up, and Ma Smalley was just laying a towel across her exposed breasts. Doc was busy swabbing at the bleeding crease along the bottom of her rib cage. "You back with us, Kitty?" Ma said, stroking her hair, then wiping a damp cloth across her face and neck.

"How bad is it, Doc?" Kitty asked.

"Well, Kitty, I want to tell you right now before anybody else comes in here, that it's not as bad as I'm going to make out it is. Your corset took more of that bullet than your skin did. Can you trust me on this, Kitty?" Doc said.

"You know I trust you, Doc," she said, "But…"

"No buts from you, young lady. Mary, you pour her out one dose of laudanum and mix it in half a glass of water. Kitty I need you to drink that down before I start stitching you up." She felt his cool, competent hands on her side and back as Ma held a glass to her lips, and she swallowed the bitter dose without complaint. She didn't lose consciousness again, and she remembered hearing Doc and Ma speaking to each other, but couldn't afterwards remember what it was they said. The sharp stick and tug of Doc taking the stitches seemed only a little blurred, but not worth the effort to move or fight it. They sat her up on the edge of the table while Ma held her arms up and Doc wrapped bandages around her ribs, and eventually Ma was taking off her skirt and petticoats and Doc was helping her into a soft cotton shirt and buttoning it down the front. Then finally Doc's smooth voice, "You rest for a while, Kitty. Just rest. You're safe here. We won't leave you." It was sleep and not unconsciousness that slipped over her then.

When Kitty woke she was still lying on her side on the table, with a pillow under her head and a sheet and blanket tucked around the rest of her. Doc was standing beside her holding her wrist. He looked down at her with a smile when he saw her eyes open. "How do you feel, Kitty?" he asked.

She thought about it. "My side is sore," she said, "And I'm thirsty. And my head hurts some."

"Just about what I expected." Doc said, lifting her shoulders a little to hold a glass of water to her lips. She drank thirstily, and turned her head when she heard steps on the stairs outside Doc's door. "You remember what I said, Kitty, about trusting me?" She nodded. "You just hold on to that, honey," Doc said, as the office door opened.

"I do not think that firearm really necessary, Madam." Kitty again heard the clipped tones that had cleared the street after her shooting, and she turned her head to see Ma pointing a shotgun at a short, well-dressed, older man.

"Well, not now that I see who you are, Judge," Ma said, laying down the gun, "But I'm not about to let anything more happen to this young lady."

Judge Beck looked at her somewhat quizzically. "You would honestly shoot that, Madam?" he asked.

Doc snorted, and Ma laughed. "I've been on the frontier for more than twenty years, Judge, and I've done my fair share of shooting," she gestured with her head over at Doc, "And he has too, but right now his hands are needed for more than a gun, so I'm taking care of that."

"I was told that you were here as a nurse, ma'am." Judge Beck remarked.

"And I was. And I am. But that doesn't keep me from picking up a shotgun." Ma replied.

The Judge nodded and came over to the table where Kitty lay. "How are you feeling, Miss Russell?" he asked.

Obeying the pressure of Doc's hand on her wrist, Kitty said weakly, "Not so good, sir. Sure hurts a lot. Things keep going black." She closed her eyes then and let her hand go limp in Doc's.

"Doctor Adams?" came the Judge's voice.

"She's had a severe trauma to the lower left rib cage. Bullet wasn't lodged, but I think some ribs may have been cracked or chipped. We'll need some time to see. I've repaired the damage as best I can, but she needs rest and quiet." Doc said.

"Can she testify in the morning?" Judge Beck asked.

Doc considered this, keeping Kitty quiet with a firm pressure on the wrist he still held. "I would think so. She'll still be in pain in the morning, Judge, but her mind should be clear. So yes, unless she develops an infection, she should be able to testify. However, I can't condone moving her. I don't even want her sitting up, much less walking." Kitty heard the steel in Doc's voice.

"But I could come over here and take her testimony?"

Doc bristled, "I'm not having a jury traipsing into this office hovering over an injured woman."

"I am unaware what gossip you may have heard, Doctor Adams," the Judge replied, "But this will not be a murder trial, the charge is manslaughter, so it would be just myself and the defense attorney. Do you think Miss Russell could manage that?"

"Likely. But I'll have to re-evaluate in the morning, Your Honor." Doc said.

"In the meantime, no visitors whatsoever," stated the Judge firmly, "I will have a man at the bottom of the stairs, one at the top, and one outside your back window all night. Miss Russell is still in protective custody."

"Yes, sir." Doc replied, "And Ma Smalley can stay, as well?"

"Doctor," Judge Beck replied, "I absolutely insist that Mrs. Smalley remain."

Kitty heard the Judge's steps as he crossed the room and went out the door, and she opened her eyes. "Doc Adams, you are a sly old fox."

Doc winked at her. "They need that testimony, Kitty, but it should be a sight easier on you up here and not in front of that courtroom crowd."

"Thanks, Doc." Kitty told him sincerely. "Now how much of that was real, and how much wasn't? I need to go, and I'd sure rather get in there to that chamberpot than have a bedpan."

Doc chuckled. "Sit up here on the side of the table for a minute, Kitty, and then we'll shift you back into the bedroom." The move was accomplished without too much difficulty. Ma helped hold her steady while she peed, and then settled her in the bed. Her side was stiff and sore, and it burned if she moved too much, but she knew she wasn't hurt too badly. Under normal circumstances, she'd be insisting on returning to her rooms across the alley at the Long Branch. But these were not normal times, and she was grateful to Doc and Ma for sheltering her. Doc came in a few moments later with a cup of broth, and let her hold it herself to drink it. When she was done, he handed her a glass with a stiff shot of whiskey, and watched in approval while she tossed it back. He removed the extra pillows and laid her flat in the bed. "Now, Kitty, I want you to try to sleep for a few hours, and it would be better for you if you can just do that yourself, but if you can't, I'll mix up a bromide for you."

"I'll try, Doc." Kitty said. "Will you sit with me for a little?"

"You want me, or you want Ma, Kitty?" he asked.

"You please, Doc," she said, and gave him a convincing yawn.

"I'll go out and watch the door, Galen." Ma said, "You take whatever time you need here."

Doc sat next to her on the bed, and took her pulse again, then settled with her hand in his. "What's troubling you, Kitty?" he asked.

She took a deep breath, despite the ache in her side. "You know what Frank and Matt had planned, Doc?"

"Part of it. Enough to know they would keep you safe and away from Dodge. I admit I was surprised when that Jones fella sent the telegram from La Crosse saying you'd been kidnapped off the stage. I think Jim Buck may have known what was goin' on, but he sure came back into Dodge fuming and fussing the next day. By that time Matt was gone, and no one knew where you were. But Frank sent a telegram Saturday night saying he had you in protective custody and that he'd been in contact with the Marshal."

"I liked Frank, Doc," Kitty said. "I liked seein' him with Matt. Don't think I've ever seen Matt relax like that with anybody. Well anybody besides me," she amended.

Doc nodded. "They were partners for a long time, Kitty. Together on and off until Matt came here to Dodge."

Kitty yawned, and it was real this time, "Wish I could see, Matt."

Doc just patted her hand, "You'll have to make do with me for a while, honey, but I'll see he gets the word on how you are. The real word."

"I sure was lookin' forward to a bath," she murmured, but Doc didn't answer again, and in a few minutes she was asleep.

OoOoO

Matt Dillon was mad. He was mad that Kitty had been shot – just minutes after they got back to town. He was mad at the Hays deputy for taking custody of her and keeping her out on the open street instead of hustling her inside the Long Branch. He was mad at Judge Beck for the wording of the protective custody order, and he was mad at himself for not managing things better. Only people he wasn't mad at were Doc and Ma Smalley, and, he had to smile proudly to himself, at Chester. He knew it had been hard on Chester to have the Marshal's office taken over by a deputy sheriff, but his heart warmed thinking of Chester, rifle in hand, diving into the street right on top of Kitty, same as he had himself. He wished he could have told Chester more about their plans, but he knew that was impossible, still, it made Chester's actions even bolder, that he had done that with no idea what was happening.

After fetching Ma Smalley, he'd returned to the Dodge house, and gone back up to Judge Beck's room. He stood, hat in hand, deliberately looming, while the Judge looked up at him from behind the table he was using as a desk. Being mad made him even quieter than usual, his face absolutely blank.

"Do you know why I am here, Marshal?" Judge Beck asked at last.

"I know you're here to try Spike Marlow," Matt replied.

"I am here because Judge Brooker recused himself," the Judge went on.

"He what?" Matt exclaimed, startled into comment.

"He recused himself. That means he removed himself from the case for personal reasons."

"I know what it means, Judge," Matt said, "I just have some difficulty imagining Cyrus Brooker doing that."

"I admit that I was surprised by that as well, but evidently Mr. Marlow's attorney asked him to do so, and, in good conscience, Judge Brooker could not refuse."

"Why?" Matt's voice was calm, and his question direct.

"I believe it is the attorney's intention to try to show that his client's arrest was the result of a fight between you and Mr. Marlow over Miss Russell's attentions, and that Mr. Marlow had no part at all in the killing of Ellen Sue Neely."

Matt took that in silently.

"No comment, Marshal Dillon?" the Judge asked.

"None needed, Judge."

"Oh?"

Matt shrugged. "Men will make up all kinds of stories to cover up their own crimes and their own behavior. Judge listens to all the testimony and reaches a decision. In this case, the evidence is clear, no matter how Marlow tries to cloud it. I think that Judge Brooker could have taken the case."

"He felt that, in the light of his long relationship with you here as Marshal, that it would open the case to a mistrial or an appeal."

Matt shrugged again, "That's possible. I suppose if Judge Brooker thought that was likely, then changing judges was a good idea. In the long run, I don't think it will matter who's on the bench."

"You think this is an open and shut case?" Beck asked curiously.

"I do."

"So you did not come into Miss Russell's room and find her in bed with Mr. Marlow?" the Judge asked.

"No, sir."

"You were not in Ellen Sue Neely's bed that night?"

"No, sir."

"You did not shoot Marlow yourself?"

"No, sir," Dillon said, but this time he smiled.

"Why is that thought entertaining, Marshal?" the Judge asked him.

"Because if I'd shot Spike Marlow he'd be dead, Judge." the Marshal replied.

"And you are willing to testify to all this under oath tomorrow, Marshal Dillon?"

"Certainly." Matt agreed, "But I'd like to ask you a question as well, Judge Beck,"

Beck nodded his agreement, and Matt went on, "When Chester and I picked up Marlow outside of Larnad he had only a hundred dollars on him. Now I know that's enough to hire an attorney to defend him, but it seems to me that it might not be sufficient to hire an attorney good enough, and willing enough, to ask a judge to recuse himself, to try to prompt a mistrial, to threaten an appeal, or to undermine the reputation of a US Marshal."

"You feel your reputation is above question, Marshal Dillon?" the Judge asked in some amusement.

"I know it is." Dillon answered without hesitation. "There's not a man in this state won't take my word if I give it, and I won't give it if I can't redeem it. Judge Brooker knows that. Lot of men don't like me, Judge Beck, but even those that don't won't tell you I'm dishonest."

"So what is your point here, Marshal Dillon?"

"My point, Judge, is that there's a promise of a lot more than a hundred dollars behind what's happening here. Where's that money coming from, Judge? You just think on that."

Judge Beck nodded his head, conceding the point. "I admit, Marshal, that I had considered that." The judge rose. "I am going up to Doctor Adams office now to see Miss Russell." He put on his hat and addressed Matt directly, not bothering to look up at him, "You, on the other hand, will _not_ see Miss Russell until this trial is over. Is that clearly understood? I am going to give Doctor Adams instructions to allow no visitors whatsoever until the trial is over. And I want three guards on the doctor's office – top of the stairs, bottom of the stairs, and in the back alley behind. Only men you know and trust, Marshal Dillon."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Judge." Matt agreed, opening the door for the little man to pass through, but thinking, all the while, that the one man in the world he knew and trusted best was himself.

OoOoO

Doc had a hearty dinner sent over from Delmonico's for himself and Ma Smalley with a cup of soup for Kitty, but the servings were large and the three of them ate well. After dinner, Ma heated a kettle of water and, sending Doc out into the front room, helped Kitty to stand at the washstand and bathe. "I know it's not the same as a tub, Kitty, but it'll be a few days before you side is well enough for that in any case. You'll feel better clean and in your own things."

Mariah had come over earlier with a paper wrapped package of clothing, makeup, and hair things, but Ma had sent most of it back. Gabrielle had returned half an hour later with a long gown made of heavy white flannel, high necked and long sleeved, and the simple navy blue robe that Kitty had been wearing the afternoon she found Spike Marlow's things in her room. Ma had brushed her hair and braided it in a single long tail.

"I feel like a nun," Kitty said.

Ma regarded her critically, and shook her head. "No, you look like a beautiful young woman, but you don't look like a whore or a madam either one. I think you'll do."

"Ma!" Kitty exclaimed.

"Kitty, why do you keep assuming I'm an innocent of some sort?" Ma chided her. "I know what's going on here, I know what's at stake, and I know what that attorney tomorrow is going to try to do."

"Oh, Ma!" Kitty said, "I don't understand why you're so good to me."

Ma tilted her head looked at Kitty, sitting on the side of the bed, "I think I'm going to take the question at face value, Kitty, and give you a real answer." Kitty looked up at her expectantly, "What it comes right down to is the same thing you're trying to do for Ellen Sue, except that Ellie's dead and you're alive."

Kitty shook her head, "I don't understand what you're sayin', Ma."

"Why did you take Ellen Sue in when her family died, Kitty? No, you don't have to tell me, I know. And you kept her there at the Long Branch for nearly a year, and you didn't once let some drunk drifter have his way with her. You protected her, and you gave her work, and you encouraged Johnny Lyon to marry her. She couldn't have asked for a better friend, Kitty. Now when you came to this town, I didn't lift a hand to keep you from turning tricks at the Long Branch, and maybe it was too late for that, but I did try to keep Matt Dillon away from you, although that didn't work either. I think what I'm trying to say here, Kitty, is that I want to stand your friend. There's more people in this town who admire what you've done over the past few years than I think you'd be ready to believe. Just because I serve dinner and you serve whiskey doesn't mean we're not both filling a need for people in Dodge." She stopped as Doc tapped lightly on the door.

"I've set a chair out for her by the window, Mary, and I think I'd like Kitty to sit there and take the air for a while," Doc said, sticking his head through the door.

Kitty stepped slowly through to the front room on Doc's arm, and settled herself by the open window, and then was surprised when Doc blew out the lamp and went back into the bedroom. "That you, Miss Kitty?" came a low voice from next to her at the top of the stairs."

"Oh, Chester! I'm so glad you're there! I wanted to thank you for what you did for me this morning. You were so brave, Chester," Kitty found herself choking just a little. As her eyes got used to the darkness, she could see him standing on the little landing, rifle in his hand.

"I didn't do nothin' special, Miss Kitty, but I'm mighty glad to know you're all right." She saw him turn his head all around, looking about at the dark town. "Now we're gonna change your guard here, Miss Kitty, in just a minute, so you sit quiet there while we do." Kitty didn't ever remember Chester so solemn and serious. She heard his hobbled steps as he descended the stairs, and then heard the heavy tread that she wanted most in the world to hear as Matt Dillon climbed slowly up to the landing. He stood with his back to her.

"I promised Judge Beck I wouldn't see you, Kitty," he said very quietly, "But I didn't say a thing about talking to you. You okay, Kitty?"

"Oh, Matt." At first it was all she could say, but she pulled her voice together and spoke softly and normally, "I'm fine, Matt. Hurt a little bit, and I'm going to have a scar for you when we're done, but Doc's making it out worse than it is to keep me out of the courtroom tomorrow. Are you all right, Matt?"

"Don't worry about me, Kitty. I'm fine. I was a little mad this afternoon, but the Judge and I talked that out some. I think you can trust Judge Beck to be fair. You just remember one thing for me, Kitty, will you do that?" Matt said, speaking into the darkness, his back still turned to her.

"Yes, Matt."

"It's Spike Marlow that's on trial tomorrow. Not you, and not me, and not Ellie. You remember that." Matt said, and then very quietly, just a breath on the air, he said, "I love you, Kitty."

"I love you, Matt," she whispered as he started down the stairs, and then he was gone, and Chester was jump hopping up the top again.

"Where did he go, Chester?" Kitty asked.

"Mr. Dillon's mighty worried about Sheriff Reardon, Miss Kitty. He expected him in here with that Spike Marlow this afternoon, and they haven't shown up yet. I reckon Mr. Dillon's riding out to look for them. But don't you worry, we've got Randy Worth down at the bottom of the stairs, and that Thaddeus Jones fella's going to relieve him at midnight. You're safe here, Miss Kitty, and, well, I think you ought to go get some rest now." Chester told her.

"I will, Chester." Kitty said, not keeping the tears out of her voice now that Matt was gone, "Thank you, Chester." And Doc, who must have been listening for her, was there to walk her back into the bedroom and tuck her into bed. She thought she'd likely lay awake the night through, but she was asleep in minutes.

Ma Smalley peeked in on her at midnight when their guard changed, and then closed the door quietly again. "You may as well lie down here on this cot and get some rest, Mary," Doc told her. He was sitting at his desk with the lamp turned low and his shotgun across his lap.

"I'll do that if you'll promise to wake me in three hours, Galen, so you can get some sleep as well." Ma replied.

"My word on it, Mary." Doc said softly, then grumbled, "We're both getting too damn old for this kind of thing. You'd think we were back holding off Comanches or keepin' buffalo hunters away from your girls."

Ma put a hand on his shoulder and bent down to kiss him lightly. "You'll never be too old, Galen, just admit you thrive on it."

"Hrumpf," was the only answer she heard as she walked over to remove her shoes and lay down on the cot, and in the dim light she didn't see his wise old eyes follow her fondly before returning to their vigilant stance staring towards the door.


	13. Chapter 13: Trouble on the Trail

Just a short chapter to keep things moving while the rest of the story settles into place.

Chapter Thirteen: Trouble on the Trail

Matt rode north out of town into the darkness. To his left the moon was a tiny crescent with a bright star hanging right above it. He and Buck knew this road well, and he watched as best as he could for movement or shapes along the sides, but when he did come on them, about an hour north of Dodge, it was obvious that they were in trouble. Frank Reardon lay face down in the road, one hand still holding the reins of a line of horses. His big Appaloosa was first, and seemed almost to be standing guard over his body. Tied one after another behind the mare were two horses with bodies draped across the saddles and leading reins tied each to the saddle horn of the horse in front.

"Damn." Matt said quietly, swinging down and leaving Buck ground tied behind him. He knelt next to Frank's body and turned him gently over. It was hard to tell without a light but there seemed to be two bullet wounds, one in his lower leg and another in his left shoulder. He had just finished tying up the leg wound as tightly as he could when he heard Frank's voice, soft and a little thready, in the darkness, "I knew you'd come for me, Matt. Knew if I kept to the road you'd find me."

Matt leaned anxiously over his friend, "Can you tell me what happened, Frank?"

"Rescue." Frank murmured, "Those two bushwhacked us about twenty miles back. They cut Marlow free. You got any water, Matt?"

Dillon fetched his bedroll and a canteen from his saddle and held Frank up in his arms to drink, then laid him back on the ground with the bedroll propping up his head. "Who shot you, Frank?" Matt asked.

"Marlow," the sheriff replied, "He got clean away, and then came back to shoot me." His weak voice was querulous, "What kind of a fool would do that, Matt? Came back to brag and threaten, Matt. Can you believe it?"

"How bad are you, Frank, can you ride?"

"Sorry, Matt." Frank's voice was shaky, "I stayed on as long as I could. You leave me here and go on back. Son of a bitch is heading for Dodge and he's after Kitty."

That set the Marshal back on his heels, but he shook his head, "Kitty's about as well-protected right now as anyone could be, Frank. We need to get you to Doc." Matt stood and led Buck around to the mare's right side. He took the reins from Frank's hand and tied them to his own saddle, then slowly lifted Frank onto his feet. "Lord, Frank, you don't get any lighter as the years go by, do ya?" Matt huffed, but he managed to get him up into Buck's saddle. "Hold onto the horn there, Frank. Stay with me just another minute or two." Matt mounted up behind him, and settled the other man back against him. He wrapped both his arms around Frank to keep him in the saddle, holding the reins in front of him in his left hand. Slowly, they started back for Dodge, the string of horses falling in placidly behind.

Frank drifted in and out of consciousness as they rode slowly along. Matt pieced the story together from the words and phrases and cussing he let out. Two riders had ambushed the sheriff and his prisoner when they were stopped at midday to rest their horses. Marlow had been both handcuffed and tied to a tree. Frank had been bending over the coffeepot when a rifle had suddenly appeared next to his ear. Seated on the ground, and relieved of his gun, Frank had listened as the two rescuers had refused to untie Marlow until he told them where the gold was hidden. There'd been some argument. Eventually Marlow had given in and mentioned a site that apparently all three knew. Relations had become more cordial. One of the men had found the key to Marlow's handcuffs in Frank's pocket, untied the ropes, and set him loose. The first thing Marlow had done was pull a pistol from the man's holster and shoot both him and his partner. By that time, however, Reardon had rolled behind the horses and pulled a rifle from his saddle boot, aiming it straight over the saddle at Marlow's heart. It had been a standoff that Reardon, the large horse shielding his body, had won.

Frank was leaning most of his weight back against Matt's chest now, head resting on his shoulder, but seemed fairly steady in the saddle. "Thought for a minute there, Matt, he was gonna shoot Susan."

"Susan?" Matt repeated, and heard a whinny from his right in response. "Oh. Susan."

"You remember Susan, Matt," Frank gave a chuckle that ended in a wheeze, "That rancher's girl down Taos way? Dark hair and all them big freckles?"

"Guess you saw more of those freckles than I did, Frank," Matt replied.

"Guess I did, Matt." Frank was quiet a while, "We 'most there, Matt?"

""bout halfway, cowboy." Matt replied, not willing to lie to him, "But you're gonna make it. Don't need to stay awake, Frank, I've got you nice and tight."

"Don't let that bastard hurt Kitty, Matt." Frank told him faintly, and then his head lolled back against Matt and his body went loose in the saddle. Matt tightened his grip around Frank's unconscious body. He could feel a wetness on his own right shoulder that told him Frank's wound was bleeding again, but there was nothing he could do but continue their slow walk towards Dodge.

OoOoO

It was Chester, at the top of the stairs, who spotted the big gelding leading a line of horses down Front Street and shouted for help, but it was Thaddeus Jones at the foot of the stairs who helped the Marshal lift down Sheriff Reardon's body. By that time there were more men on the street, and they managed to carry him up the stairs to Doc's office. Matt halted on the bottom stair before going up, "Chester? Jones? You boys keep up this watch. Marlow is loose and we think he's heading for Dodge."

"Forevermore, Mr. Dillon, why would he do that?" Chester queried him, "Seems to me like he'd be heading out as far away from Dodge as he could."

"Seems like that to me, too, Chester, but he told Sheriff Reardon that he was on his way in to do some harm to Kitty." Matt said. He felt both of the men bristle at that.

"Well you just don't worry yourself about that, Mr. Dillon," Chester said, "We got a good watch goin' front and back."

"Who's in back, Chester?" the Marshal asked, but it was Jones who answered, "My partner's back there with Deputy Farris, Marshal Dillon. We'll make sure nobody gets near Doc's office."

"Chester, get some of the local men to take those bodies on over to Percy's and ask them to see to the horses. Buck's done a long ride with a double load."

"I'll do that, Mr. Dillon." Chester replied.

Matt nodded and headed up the steps and through the door. Doc had Frank laying back on his operating table, his shirt already off and Ma Smalley was cutting through the tough fabric of his pants leg with a scalpel. Matt went to remove Frank's boots and set them standing upright in the corner. "How's he doing, Doc?" he asked.

"Well, he's still breathing and his heart's still beating," was Doc's only reply. That much Matt knew already, he'd counted those breaths and heartbeats, his hand tight over Frank's chest, for the last half hour.

"Can I help here, Doc?" Matt asked.

Doc started to shake his head and then stopped. "You better stick around until I get this bullet out, Matt. He's out like a light right now, but if he comes around I'll need someone your size to hold him."

"I'll stay as long as you need me, Doc," Matt said, "And then I'm going to go see to those two dead men, and wake up Judge Beck. Doesn't look like we'll be having a trial tomorrow after all."

It was half an hour before Doc finished with Frank's shoulder and began on his leg, and the sheriff didn't regain consciousness at any point. When Doc dismissed him, Matt checked the guards again, finding big Emil Wohlheter at the head of the stairs and Moss Gimmick at the bottom. Clem from the Long Branch wielded a shotgun under Doc's window in company with one of Ed Bauer's cowboys.

Judge Beck was not thrilled to be awakened at three in the morning, but he agreed to the necessity when Matt explained the circumstances as he knew them. "I'm not sure what happened next, Judge, but apparently Marlow got away while Sheriff Reardon was loading the bodies onto the horses. Frank said he got clean away and then came back and shot him, may have thought he'd killed him because the bullet in his shoulder tumbled him off his horse."

"But Marlow didn't stop to check?" the Judge said.

"Seems not," Matt agreed. "Not a very careful man."

"And he actually told Sheriff Reardon he was headed back to Dodge?" Beck asked.

"That's what Frank said before he passed out. Said Marlow was bragging he would get to Kitty at the Long Branch and no one was going to stop him." Matt shook his head, "Doesn't make much sense to me, Judge, but I think we need to keep close watch on her until Marlow's apprehended."

"I'll need to talk to Sheriff Reardon as soon as I can, Marshall Dillon," said the Judge. "If he can swear to Marlow gunning down those two men in cold blood, then there's no use bothering with the manslaughter trial. We'll have a murder charge that's dead easy to prove."

_Dead easy_, Matt thought, _and no justice even attempted for poor little Ellie. Oh well, you can only hang a man once._


	14. Chapter 14: The Trouble with Vengeance

Chapter Fourteen: The Trouble with Vengeance

Kitty Russell sat up in bed when she heard the outside door open. She listened to the scuff of boots and heavy breathing as someone was carried into Doc's office, and then heard Matt's voice asking, "How is he, Doc?" She knew she'd just be in the way, and would divide Doc's attention if she came out in the other room, but she did get out of bed and go lean against the door, cracking it open just the littlest bit to hear. Eventually she realized that the injured man was Frank Reardon, and that sent her back into the bedroom where she curled into Doc's rocking chair. She sat there in the dark, as still as she could, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, just hoping, and praying from time to time, that Frank would be all right.

When Kitty heard Matt leave, she went ahead and lit a lamp then went back over to the bed, smoothing and tucking in the sheets, pulling the covers straight. That hurt her side more than she wanted to admit, but she went ahead and plumped the pillows and left the quilts turned back. Frank would need that bed. Blowing out the lamp, she laid herself down on the cot at the far end of the room, knowing the best way to help was just to keep herself out of the way. It wasn't easy, though, and she lay there with her eyes open until dawn began to light the windows.

OoOoO

And while an awakening Dodge City buzzed with the news that Spike Marlow had escaped, shot Sheriff Reardon, and killed in cold blood the two men who had likely been his own partners, that same Spike Marlow slept, warm, comfortable, and very, very quiet, in the bed where he had killed Ellen Sue Neely a little less than two weeks before. Marlow had entered the Long Branch the same way he left it – through the window of Ellie's room. It had been locked, yes, but the noise of breaking glass hadn't been loud against all the noise going on down below. He had noticed with pleasure the new lock on the door and had carefully locked himself in. Marlow knew saloons, and he knew the Long Branch in particular, he'd explored its rooms and hallways carefully as he planned for his nighttime activities with Ellen Sue and Kitty. Everyone was careful and excited right now, but he knew that wouldn't last.

Leaving his new boots in Ellie's room, he'd moved silently through the dark hallway to where he could stand in the shadows at the top of the stairs and listen to the crowd gossiping below. He smiled to hear about Kitty Russell safe and secluded at the doctor's office – a good place for her, and a good place for the town to concentrate on protecting her. He was less happy to hear that Sheriff Reardon was still alive. He hadn't feared his trial for manslaughter, but a murder trial with a sheriff as witness, that was different.

What right minded jury would care about the death of a little whore? And he'd actually looked forward to listening while his lawyer broke down that red-haired madam. She'd been so hoity-toity, treating him like some common soldier without the price in his pocket to pay for what he wanted. He'd looked forward to seeing her there on the stand, breaking down and crying while she tried to answer his lawyer's questions, and he'd looked forward to watching her face, sitting in the courtroom, while he told about how she'd welcomed him to her bed and enjoyed every minute of his time with her. He wished there were a chance to get back at Kitty Russell, the bitch had actually shot him, but there were more important things on his mind right now. Marlow fetched himself a pitcher of water, and then locked himself back in Ellen Sue's room. It wasn't time for his move yet. He needed rest, and he needed things to quiet down. He listened as Mariah and Gabrielle came up and went to bed, listened as the saloon itself passed into silence and sleep, and he slept as well.

OoOoO

It had been very late when Matt Dillon returned to his room at the boarding house. He didn't want to sleep, but he knew he would need at least a few hours in him to face the day ahead. He didn't bother to undress, just removed his boots and lay back on the bed. He went carefully over the preparations he'd made and the instructions he'd given, and then, with years of practice behind him, he cleared his mind and slept soundly until just before dawn.

OoOoO

The posse, led by Hark Farris, assembled a little after full sunrise at the Marshal's office. Hark couldn't understand the Marshal's determination to stay in Dodge, but his own duty was clear. Marlow had been Sheriff Reardon's prisoner, and he was Reardon's deputy. He'd accepted the Marshal's help in recruiting men for the posse, and now, in the early light, he led them north to pick up Marlow's trail.

Dillon watched as the men rode out of town, and then went back into his office. Marlow would come to him. He and Frank were both sure of that, and it was up to him to be ready. Marshal Dillon had set a roster of local men and was keeping an ostentatious and heavy guard on Doc's office. That was partly for Kitty's safety, but it was mostly a distraction. There was only one reason that made sense of what Marlow had said to Frank Reardon and Dillon intended to be ready to deal with it.

OoOoO

Up in the back bedroom of Doc's office, Frank Reardon lay asleep in the bed where Kitty had slept earlier the night before. Kitty, Doc, and Ma were having a quiet breakfast in the outer room. The older couple looked a little worse for wear. Doc was rumpled, wrinkled, and grumpy. Her dark dress as neat as ever, Ma's face looked worn and tired. She had, however, cooked an excellent breakfast on Doc's little stove. Kitty, dressed, or rather undressed, in the solemn dishabille they had prepared for her the day before in preparation for her testimony, sat unusually subdued at the small table Doc had pulled out into the center of the room. She was thinking furiously.

Kitty Russell had a high but very realistic opinion of herself. She knew what she was good at, and what she wasn't. She knew she was beautiful, but she didn't think there was a man on earth, including Spike Marlow, who would risk hanging to have her. There had to be more to it than that. She stood up, and, without a word to Doc and Ma, slipped back into the bedroom where Frank lay. As softly as possible, she turned the lock on the door. She sat down next to the sleeping sheriff and touched his face, first lightly then more firmly. She leaned down to whisper urgently to him, "Frank! Frank it's Kitty. You have to wake up for me, Frank." His eyes blinked once, and she risked a brisk slap on his cheek, but before she could take another his good right hand came up and caught hers.

"Kitty." Frank said, his voice low in response to hers.

"Oh, Frank, I'm sorry. I had to wake you." She apologized, still whispering, "I have to know what Marlow said – exactly what he said, when he threatened me."

Frank's brow wrinkled. "I told Matt last night, Kitty," he said.

"I have to know the words, Frank. The exact words." Kitty pleaded.

Doc had heard them and began knocking on the door. "Kitty, you in there? What's going on? You let me in!"

"I will in just one minute, Doc. Just hold on a minute." Kitty called, and then, in an insistent hiss to Frank, "What. Did. He. Say."

Doc was still knocking, and now Kitty heard Chester's voice as well. "By golly, Doc, what's all that noise and knocking all about?"

"He said," Frank told her, "'Now I'm going back to finish what I started with Kitty Russell.' That was it. I think he thought I was dead, but I wasn't, and he said 'Now I'm going back to finish what I started with Kitty Russell.' But I told Matt that last night, Kitty. He knows."

"Let me go, Frank," Kitty said, realizing he still held her wrist tightly in in his hand, "I have to get to Matt." Frank released her and dropped his hand to lie on the cover.

Kitty ran to the door, pulled back the bolt, and opened it so quickly that Doc's pounding fist came within inches of hitting her in the face. "Chester, go get Matt! I have to talk to Matt right away."

"Now you just wait one minute there, young lady," Doc started in on her, and Chester's face was resolute, "Miss Kitty I gave Mr. Dillon my word I wouldn't leave here. I can't go leaving you alone with just ol' Doc."

Kitty's eyes lifted to where Ma Smalley stood at the stove across the room. "Ma, it's urgent. I have to talk to Matt right this minute, or more people might die. Please Ma!" But by the time her final words were out Ma was already scurrying down the stairs with a quickness that Kitty wouldn't have believed possible.

"What's all this about, Kitty?" Doc said angrily. "I can't have you disturbing Frank, he's barely out of surgery, now you leave him alone, and…"

But Kitty wasn't even listening. She tried to stand in the open doorway, but Chester, back out on the landing actually laid hands on her to push her back inside, remonstrating apologetically the whole time. It couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes, although it seemed longer, before Matt started up the stairs two and three at a time. Kitty met him at the open door, "Matt! I know where…" but he cut her off abruptly with a hand over her mouth and a warning look in his eyes.

Kitty fought him, pulling at his hand, until he simply picked her up and carried her into the back room, setting her down in Doc's rocker and kneeling beside her. "Don't say it, Kitty. Not even here." Matt's voice was stern. He removed his hand and Kitty stared at him.

"You already know?" she asked.

"I figured it out last night, Kitty. Things are all set." Matt told her.

"But Gabby and Mariah…" she tried again.

"All taken care of." Matt said, and then suddenly aware that Doc and Ma, as well as Frank, were all staring at him, he said, "Can you trust me on this, Kitty?"

Kitty took a deep breath, and began nodding slowly. "All right, Matt. I won't say another word."

"Well, I will," said Doc, "What in tarnation is going on here…" But his words were stopped by the sound of gunfire from the building next door. Matt was on his feet in a second and heading out the door.

"Chester, you stay there and guard Kitty no matter what happens or what anyone else says. You don't let her out that door if you have to tie her up and sit on her." Matt said on his way down the stairs.

Ma and Doc were watching out the window of the office where they could see the boardwalk in front of the Long Branch, and Doc had his shotgun in his hands once again, but Kitty was pretty sure by that time that it was all over so she went and sat next to Frank and took his hand. "You figure it out, too, Frank?" she asked quietly.

"Nah. I don't think too well with bullets in me, Kitty, but Matt said he thought he knew what was behind it all, and that was enough for me," Frank said, "You think I could have some water, Kitty?" Kitty got him a drink, and helped raise him enough to drink it. She had him settled down again and was pulling the covers over his injured shoulder when Doc came harrumphing into the back room.

"They got him, Kitty. I don't know how, or what Matt knew, but that snake-shooting fella – Jones – he and his partner came walking out of the Long Branch with Spike Marlow between them just as pretty as you please." Doc said.

"Trial will be here in Dodge then," Frank said, "But likely they'll give me until Monday to be back on my feet."

"Monday!" Doc sputtered, "I'm not letting you out of that bed for a week, Frank Reardon. I took two bullets out of you not six hours ago, and you're going to rest, just rest, until those incisions heal." He turned to Kitty, "And you, young lady, you're on your way back to bed right this minute."

"Plenty of room right here, Kitty," Frank told her grinning and gesturing to the bed beside him, "I wouldn't mind at all…"

"And that will be enough out of you, Sheriff Reardon," said Ma Smalley, taking Kitty's arm and walking her across the room to the cot. "No, you just leave that robe on. Lie down and I'll cover you up. It will be an hour at least before you can expect Matt back here, and you need your rest same as Frank." Kitty didn't protest. She lay back on the cot, and Ma covered her with the quilt that lay folded at the end of the bed. Doc and Ma went into the front room leaving the door open. Kitty didn't intend to sleep, but she did.

OoOoO

It was bright noon when she woke, and it was men's voices that woke her. She sat up and found Matt sitting on the bed next to Frank, talking to him. They were talking free and Doc and Ma were gone. Kitty went over and sat across from Matt on the other side of Frank.

"What you do with our jailers, Matt?" Kitty asked.

"Sent them all over to get some lunch at Delmonico's." Matt answered.

Kitty looked at Frank, propped up on two pillows, his chest and shoulders bare beneath the bandages. "You tell him, Matt?" she asked.

"I told him." Matt said.

"You go and look yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you. Thought we'd go together."

Kitty shook her head. "There's still a shooter out there, Matt. And I'm still in protective custody. And anyway, I don't have anything to wear. What clothes Doc and Ma didn't cut off of me, they sent back to the saloon with Mariah."

"We can wait for dark." Matt said.

Kitty nodded. "You think that's safe, Matt?"

"Yeah, I think it is," he replied, "You want to hear about what happened?"

Kitty thought a minute because she wasn't sure she did, but then she nodded, and Matt continued. "I know you're pretty particular, Kitty, about who sleeps in your bed, and I didn't want to use any of the local boys, but I needed two men so one could sleep and one could watch. I didn't know how long it would take. So I asked Thaddeus Jones and his partner, fella named Joshua Smith. Sent them up there quiet like right before closing last night. Bill didn't know they were there, but I took Mariah and Gabby both aside and told them to lock their doors and prop a chair against 'em before they went to sleep, and not to come out until I came for them even if they heard a ruckus."

"That might not have been safe, Matt," Kitty said, displeased.

Matt shrugged. "Seemed to me that wasn't Marlow's style. Lots of girls, but each only one time. Like he was counting coup." Frank nodded seriously at that, but it didn't make much sense to Kitty. She'd have to ask Matt about that later, for now, she let him go on. "Marlow broke in sometime last night. Broke right in to Ellen Sue's room – same window he left by – and slept in her bed. This morning, with the posse out of town and all the able-bodied men that weren't on the posse hovering over here by Doc's office, he went and jiggered the lock and broke into your room, Kitty."

"And found Thaddeus and his partner waiting there." Kitty said. "Wait a minute, Matt, how did they get in there in the first place if you didn't tell Bill about all this…" She watched Matt's smile get bigger and bigger. "You devil! You kept that key when Bill gave it to you to go search my room that night before I left on the stage." But then Kitty stopped, and thought again, "Then how did Bill let the girls into my room to get my things to bring over here to Doc's?" She clearly didn't like what she was thinking. "He had more than one key to my room?"

"That's what I figured when he didn't make a fuss about me not giving him back the key that first night," Matt said.

"So now I'll need to get that lock replaced again, and be sure I have the only keys." Kitty said.

"That would be safest for you, Kitty," he said, "Now you want to hear the rest? I was just getting to that part with Frank here."

"Go on then," she said.

"They heard him comin' and were waitin' on either side of the door when he opened it. Jones held a gun on him, and Smith slammed the door back hard against him. Marlow had a gun, and he shot, which is what we heard, but they got him down and disarmed and hurting some before he got a second shot off. They were walking him out the front door of the Long Branch just about the time I got there, and he's locked up over at the jail right now with Chester sitting over in the office with a rifle."

Kitty sat and thought about it. "Chester's worked awful hard at all this," she finally said, "And Frank got shot, and I got shot. Ma and Doc left all their normal work for days just watching over me. Thaddeus and his partner – killing the snakes and riding the stage and guarding me here, and they don't even know me, they're just passin' through. And you and Frank – arranging to rescue me and keep me safe." She stopped then before going on, "And Ellie dyin'. Spike Marlow's caused a lot of damage."

"And he'll hang for it, Kitty." Matt said, "That's certain sure."

She shook her head. "He'll hang for murdering his partners."

It was Frank who reached his right hand over to take hers, "That's an argument Matt and I have had for years, honey. Matt, he believes in the law. I'm fine with the law, but I believe in justice. Marlow will hang, and that will be justice, the specific charge doesn't matter so much as the fact that he'll never hurt anyone again."

Kitty said in a small voice, "I said that first night I wanted to see him hang. For what he did to Ellie. I don't want that anymore. I just want him gone."

Matt reached a long arm over and cupped his hand around the back of Kitty's neck. She leaned into it, turning her head to place a kiss on his wrist. Frank just continued to hold her hand in his own warm grip and said, soft but stern, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. For it is written, Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord."

OoOoO

They waited until full dark. Before leaving for Hays late that afternoon, Judge Beck had changed his order to place Kitty's protective custody in the hands of Marshal Dillon. Matt still thought she was safer up at Doc's, and planned on keeping her there until matters were settled, but the two of them walked silently down the steps and around through the alley door of the Long Branch. They heard music and loud voices, smelled smoke and liquor even there in the back hall as they climbed the stairs and went down the hallway to Kitty's room. The door was hanging half open, and Kitty tsked but Matt shushed her until they got inside and he got the door closed and braced with a chair.

Hand in hand the two of them walked over to where Kitty's dressing screen blocked off a corner of the room. Kitty lifted the neat black Stetson and tossed it onto a chair. She tried to lift one of the boots, but couldn't. She stepped back and let Matt take her place. He lifted one of the boots and carried it back to her bed. While he went back for the other boot, Kitty reached inside the first and took out a canvas bag about the size of her own small fist. It was heavy enough that she had to use both hands to lift it. Matt turned the second boot over and five small bags dropped out weightily onto the bed. Kitty pulled out a second bag, and then, with some difficulty turned her boot over and poured out two more. Nine bags, each with "US Army" stenciled on the side, and tied at the top with a drawstring cord. Matt picked one up and opened it, spilling out gold Half Eagles onto the quilt.


	15. Chapter 15: Troubles Resolved

Chapter Fifteen: Troubles Resolved

Matt insisted that Kitty spend one more night at Doc's office. He let her pack a bag, and then detailed Bill Pence to walk her back up there while he awkwardly carried nearly two hundred pounds of gold over to the jailhouse to lock in his safe. Bill was just leaving Doc's office as Matt reached the bottom of the stairs, so he stood there while Bill descended.

"I told Kitty that Johnny Lyon was looking for her this evening, Matt." Pence said, "Told me he had something important to talk to her about."

"What did you tell him, Bill?" the Marshal enquired.

"Said I thought Kitty would be back at the Long Branch tomorrow." Bill said, "She will, won't she? Now that Marlow's been captured and his partners are dead?"

Matt held his counsel on that. "We'll see how she feels and how Doc feels about it in the morning," he said, "And I'll need to get her door fixed again before she can sleep in her room."

Bill smiled, "I'll see to that first thing tomorrow morning, Marshal," he said with a wink.

"No, Bill, you won't." Dillon told him very firmly.

"Now see here, Marshal," Bill began, but Matt interrupted him.

"I'll get the locksmith out to install a new lock on Kitty's door, Bill, and I'm going to make sure that she's the only one with a key." Matt said.

"Aw, c'mon, Matt," Bill said, "I didn't make a fuss about giving you a key last time, and I'm still half owner of the Long Branch, you can't expect me not to have a key to all the rooms."

Matt looked down at where Bill stood next to him in the semi-darkness of the alley. Lights from the street, and from Doc's front window made it easy enough for the two men to see one another. "Now you listen to me, Bill, and you listen hard. Kitty will have the only keys to that room. Who goes in and out is her choice. It's not up to you, and it's not up to me either. I'll handle the repairs to her door myself, and I'll make it clear to Tom Crider when he puts in the new lock that he's not to duplicate the keys to that door for anyone other than Kitty herself. Do I make myself clear on that, Bill?"

"You do, but I still don't like it. That's my place and I've a right to the keys." Pence told him, halfway between petulance and anger.

"As far as access to Kitty's rooms are concerned, Bill, you have no rights. None at all. You want Kitty to give you a key, you ask her. And I do mean ask. You don't threaten or bully or demand, because if you do, I'm going to know about it, and you won't like what happens then." Matt said quietly.

"Daggone it, Matt, Kitty was the best asset the Long Branch had. I haven't complained about you taking up all her time, and I'm not going to, but as far as the keys go…"

"As far as the keys go, they belong to Kitty, and she'll do with them what she chooses. Now are we perfectly clear on that, Bill, or do I need to pound it a little more firmly into your head?" Matt asked him, taking a short step just a little closer to the small, dapper man.

Bill took a slightly larger step backwards. "I understand exactly what you're saying, Matt, and I tell ya straight out I don't like it."

"You don't have to like it, Bill, but you do have to agree to it. Now are we clear?" Dillon said.

"We're clear." Bill agreed.

"Good." Matt told him. "I'll take care of that door in the morning, and once it's fixed we'll see about Kitty coming back to the Long Branch." Matt turned his back on Bill Pence and headed up the stairs.

He found Doc and Kitty sitting with Frank Reardon in the back bedroom. Frank greeted him a little blearily, "These two troublemakers been givin' me a hard time, Matt. You come to rescue me?"

Matt smiled at him, "I doubt it, Frank. Doc give you one of his powders, did he?"

"Nah, he made Kitty give it to me." Frank said, "Knew I couldn't fight a lady."

"Do you good to sleep some, Frank," Matt told him.

"Just what I said, Matt," Doc commented, "Now you sit here a while with Frank while I take a look at Kitty's ribs." Doc ushered Kitty firmly into the outer office and shut the door.

"Did you find the gold, Matt?" Frank asked, his voice much clearer than it had been a moment ago.

"Yes we did, Frank. I've got it locked up at my office and I'll send a telegram off to the Army first thing tomorrow. What are you playin' at here?"

"Kitty didn't make me drink that damn potion, at least not much of it. I was figurin' I could spell you tonight, Matt. Bet you didn't get more than a couple hours sleep last night, and I've been sleepin' most of the day." Frank said.

Matt sat down on the bed and laid a firm hand on Frank's arm, shaking it a little, "A good thought, partner, and I'd take you up on it if I needed it, but I don't. Chester's sleeping over at the jail, and Marlow's locked up tight. Doc and I are both going to sleep in that outer office tonight, and I do mean sleep. I can't promise you Doc won't come poking at you sometime in the night, 'cause that's the kind of thing he does, but I intend to get a good night's sleep and I'm not expecting any trouble."

"Why not, Matt?" Frank asked, "You know something I don't?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. But with Marlow locked up and the gold locked up, I'm expecting things to settle down." Matt told him.

"Now that just doesn't make much sense, Matt." Frank complained, "You know that both of Marlow's partners were out north of town when Kitty was shot yesterday."

"I do know, Frank," said Matt, "And Kitty knows too. I think both of us have an idea about what's going on here, and I think we'll have a quiet night. But I'm going to sleep out in the office just in case." He patted Frank's arm where his hand was still clasping it, and then moved to pick up the cup of liquid sitting by the bed, "And you're going to finish up this medicine of Doc's."

Frank shrugged, "I wish he didn't have to make it taste so bad, Matt, but if you're sure you don't need me, then I'll be glad of the relief."

Matt lifted his friend up and handed him the cup. Frank downed it with a grimace, and let Matt settle him back on the bed. "You figured out who's going to get the reward on that gold, Matt?" he asked.

"I'd say it's Kitty's, wouldn't you, Frank?" Matt said.

Frank smiled at him, "We'll just have to wait and see what she thinks about that, won't we?" They were silent for a few minutes, and then Frank said quietly, "Kitty told me you took bounties a couple of years ago. That true, Matt?"

"I didn't go out after any, Frank, but yes, where I was able, I filed for the bounties all one winter."

"I didn't ever think I'd see the day you did that, Matt."

"I needed the money, Frank. I had to get Kitty out of that business." Matt told him.

"You could have just married her, Matt. Would have been a sight easier."

Matt sighed and ran a hand over his face. He was tired, and this wasn't a conversation he wanted to have. "Can we talk about this later, Frank?" he asked.

"You won't." Frank answered.

"No. Likely I wouldn't." Matt sighed again. He'd never been able to deny Frank a straight answer, "First off, I don't think she would have married me then. Not sure if she would now. Kitty wants things from life she's not going to get as a lawman's wife – or a lawman's widow. Second, you know how I feel about mixing marriage and a badge. I know you don't share those feelings, Frank, but you do know my views on it."

"I always wondered, Matt, what would happen when your badge finally ran smack into a woman that you really loved." Frank's voice was fading a little.

"I don't know what's going to happen, Frank." Matt told him. "You stick around a while and maybe we'll both see." He laid Frank's arm back under the blanket, pulling the covers up around his friend's shoulders.

"You do right by her, Matt." Frank said, "She deserves that. Not sayin' she deserves more than you – but she deserves all of you."

"I think she probably does, Frank, but that's not going to happen right now. You go ahead and sleep on that, why dontcha?"

Frank yawned widely, the sedative pulling at him. "You just remember, Matt, that Jonathan was Michal's brother."

When Doc led Kitty back into the bedroom a few minutes later, Frank was soundly asleep with Matt sitting next to him in the chair by the bed, still laughing quietly and shaking his head.

"What now?" Doc asked.

Matt looked at him with speculation and repeated Frank's final comment. It stopped Doc for a moment. "Aren't you usually Jonathan?" he asked.

"I am." Matt agreed, "But we trade off some."

Kitty had had about enough. "I'm tired, Doc. How about you two take your quotations out into the office and let me sleep?"

"Humph," said Doc. He looked over at Matt briefly and then turned and left.

Matt took the opportunity to slip an arm around Kitty's shoulders as he led her over to the bed. "How's your side, Kitty? Doc think you can go home tomorrow?"

"He said I could go back tonight if I had a room to go to. Says it's up to you, not him," she replied.

"You mad at me about that?"

"A little," she admitted. "Matt, I want this to be over."

"I'm hoping we can do that tomorrow, Kitty, but I don't think you're going to like what happens."

"You have to arrest him, Matt?"

"You know I do, Kitty."

"Can I at least talk to him first?"

Matt nodded slowly in agreement, "But I need to be there when you do, Kitty."

"Frank asleep?" Kitty asked, taking off her robe and lying down on the narrow bed.

"Frank's asleep." Matt agreed, sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning over into the arms she raised to him. He kissed her once. "And I need to be asleep, too."

"You surely do," Kitty agreed. "Good night, cowboy."

"Good night, Kitty."

He had blown out the lamp and was almost to the door when she spoke again, "Matt?"

"You going to tell me who those people are? Jonathan and Michal?"

Matt hesitated a moment, "Jonathan and David were friends. David married Jonathan's sister Michal, and eventually, well, he did wrong by her and that broke their friendship."

Kitty took that in. "Why would he say that, Matt? He only met me last week." Her voice was troubled. "I don't like that, Matt."

She heard Matt's deep chuckle, "Don't take it to heart, Kitty. It's just how we talk to each other. You talk to Frank about it if you want to."

"Don't think I won't, Matt," she told him.

"Well just remember he's injured, Kitty. Don't rip him up too much." Matt stepped out into the front office, and within minutes he was rolled in a blanket in front of the door, fast asleep.

OoOoO

The following morning, Kitty dressed and went down to the Long Branch for coffee. Feeling more like herself than she had in some time, she sat drinking coffee with Bill Pence and let him catch her up on what had been happening while she'd been absent and then sequestered up in Doc's office. She heard pounding coming from upstairs and raised an eyebrow at Bill.

"It's the Marshal," he said, "Came in here pretty darn early with Tom Crider and started working on your door." Bill hesitated, "Matt says I need to ask you for a key, Kitty. I think I should have one."

Kitty shook her head. "I'm not willing right now, Bill, after all this. I can give you a key if I go out of town, but right now, no."

Bill started to speak, but stopped when Johnny Lyon stepped through the door and walked towards them. "Miss Kitty, do you have time to talk to me?"

"I do, Johnny." Kitty replied neutrally. "Bill could you get Johnny some coffee?"

When Bill brought over the cup and a flask of coffee, Kitty raised her eyebrows slightly and moved her eyes towards the upstairs hall. "I'll leave you two to talk," Bill said and retired up the stairs and down the hall towards Kitty's room.

Kitty poured Johnny a cup of coffee. "We missed you at Ellie's funeral, Johnny," she said. "Want to tell me about it?"

"I think you know what I did, Miss Kitty." Johnny told her, sipping the coffee and not meeting her gaze.

"Yes, I think I do. You given up on that, Johnny, or are you going to shoot me now?" Kitty said, regarding him coolly.

"I'll go tell the Marshal, Miss Kitty. He can do what he needs to. But I wanted to talk to you first." Johnny said, his eyes still on his hands.

"All right then, talk." Kitty told him.

"I did what you asked, Miss Kitty." Johnny told her, looking up to meet her gaze. "I read those letters, and I found Ellen Sue's kin. She had an aunt and uncle settled on a farm back up west of Great Bend. After the Marshal sent you out of town, I rode out there and met them. I took her letters and the Bible."

"What did you find, Johnny?" Kitty asked. "I didn't think she had anyone that close."

"Neither did I, Miss Kitty," he said. Johnny ducked his head again. "Her uncle's a good man. His wife, she cried when I told them about Ellie. They have three children and a nice place out there. I stayed with them, talked to them. They…" he stopped, and Kitty let the silence stretch, "They tried to get Ellen Sue to come live with them, but she told them she wanted to stay in Dodge so…" there was another long silence, "So she could be near me. I couldn't understand, Miss Kitty, but Ellie's uncle, he made me see I had to come back and turn myself in."

Johnny put down his coffee cup and reached over to put both his hands over hers, "I'm sorry, Miss Kitty. I was so angry. I didn't want to kill you, ma'am, but I did want to hurt you – make you afraid. I was wrong, and I'm sorry. I know now It wasn't you, ma'am. It was Ellie's own decision to stay here."

Kitty saw Johnny's eyes move up to look behind her. "Why would she do that, Marshal?" He looked back into Kitty's eyes, "Why would she do that? She could have had a decent place, Miss Kitty, living with her kin. Why would she work here at the Long Branch?"

"Sometimes," Kitty told him, but she had to clear her throat before she continued, "Sometimes love is more important than decent, Johnny. I think that's how Ellie felt. She wanted to be close to you, and that was more important than where she worked."

"When did you get back from Great Bend, Johnny?" Matt's voice behind her was level.

"I got in late last night, Marshal," he replied, "I talked to Bill, but he told me Miss Kitty was up at Doc's."

"Matt!" Kitty exclaimed, turning to raise her eyes to his, "If Johnny wasn't here Thursday…"

The sound of shots interrupted them and Matt was running out the door to the street, heading across the alley and up the stairs to Doc's office. He opened the door into the business end of Doc's shotgun. "Not here, Matt," Doc told him, "I think it was over at the jail…"

And Matt was down the stairs in three long steps and heading across the street, but Johnny Lyon was ahead of him, gun drawn and firing. "Hold it!" Matt shouted as he entered, but it was already too late. Too late for the man lying in the doorway to the cells, but not too late for Chester who stood, Winchester in hand, in front of the door to the cell where Spike Marlow was locked, blocking access to Marlow with his own body.

"I had to do it, Mr. Dillon." Chester said, "He was going to shoot me to get to that Marlow."

"You did right, Chester. No other choice. You shoot him, too, Johnny?" Matt asked, and the boy just nodded without saying a word, and then turned back out the door to vomit over the rail into the street. And in the cell behind Chester, Spike Marlow sat himself down on the bunk and buried his face in his hands.

OoOoO

Judge Beck gave Frank Reardon a week to recover enough to testify. Doc allowed him to move over to the Long Branch on Tuesday, and Kitty and her girls provided him with excellent care and much more comfort than Doc could provide. Matt and Chester teamed with a variety of deputies to see that there were always at least two men at the jail throughout that long week.

It took a while for Matt to unravel the details. He knew that the Judge was only interested in the murder charge and in hanging Marlow, but the Marshal had an additional decision to make, and he was putting a lot of thought into it. The afternoon before the trial he and Frank took a short walk out to the livery. They always seemed to be able to talk better with a task to do, and Frank was eager to stretch his legs. His eagerness only lasted about half way down the street, but Matt's arm steadied him, and he sat on a bale while Matt groomed both horses.

"Tell me about it," Frank said.

"Looks like Johnny did the first two attempts on Monday, the shot that got Kitty's hat and the 'accident' with the wagon. Then he did the shots at the stagecoach. After that he headed out to Great Bend." Matt said.

"So the snakes, and the shot that got Kitty in the ribs – those were our dead man from the jail?" Frank asked.

"Yes. Zimmerman. Army officer from Fort Leavenworth identified him when he came to pick up the gold. He, and the other two that Marlow shot, were all prisoners while Marlow was serving at the fort."

"What does Johnny say?"

Matt took a while to answer. "Johnny's not sayin' a thing, Frank. He's just waitin' for me to arrest him. It's Kitty's asking' me to let him go."

"Oh." Frank let it ride with that until Matt was done with the horses and came over to sit next to him. "What you going to do, Matt?"

"Arrest him. Leave it to the judge." Matt answered.

"Arrest him for what?" Frank asked.

"Attempted murder."

Frank just looked at him. Eventually he said, "I didn't think I'd see the time when you felt you needed to take the law into your own hands, Matt."

"Damn it, Frank, if I don't arrest him what does that say about the law? He tried to kill Kitty!"

"Did he? Or did he just try to scare her? And if he hadn't scared her, and scared you, then Zimmerman surely would have killed her, now wouldn't he?" Frank said, "You know he's not going to be convicted, Matt. You arrest him for attempted murder and you're just forcing him to go through a trial as a punishment – ruin his reputation, keep him in jail a while, make him suffer some." Frank waited a while and then said sadly, "That's not like you, Matt."

"He could have killed her, Frank." Matt said.

"You mean by accident? While he was tryin' to scare her?" Frank asked, and Matt nodded. "Well, I suppose that all depends on how good a shot he is. You know, Matt?" Matt shook his head. "Let's go see then." Frank said, working to stand. Matt helped him up and they headed back to the Long Branch.

Johnny Lyon was sitting at a corner table, nursing a beer as he had been most of the week. He stood when the two lawmen came over to him. "You drunk, Johnny?" Sheriff Reardon asked.

"Nosir, I'm not."

"You shoot with a six gun or a rifle, Johnny?" the sheriff continued.

"I can shoot with a pistol, but I'm not a fast draw, Sheriff, and I'm more accurate with a rifle," Johnny told him.

"Got your rifle with you, son?"

"Sure, it's out on my saddle, Sheriff. What's this about?" Johnny asked.

"Outside's better," the Marshal told them, and then walked over to where Kitty had been playing a hand of solitaire, the cards set out on the table in front of her. Matt picked up the ace of hearts, and stepped through the batwing doors.

"Get your rifle, Johnny," Frank told him, "We're going to do a little shooting." Then as Johnny headed out to the street to his horse, he asked Kitty, "Can you give me a little help here, darlin'? I'm not too steady on this leg yet."

Kitty walked over to him, but with a quick motion of her head she got Sam over to sling an arm under Frank's good shoulder and the three of them headed out onto the boardwalk. Matt was standing in the center of the street a little ways down. Johnny walked up to where the three of them were standing, carrying his rifle. "Can you shoot the Marshal from this distance, Johnny?"

"I could, but I'm not going to." Johnny answered.

Frank nodded at Matt and Matt held out the card, his fingers just touching the corner. "How about that card, Johnny? Can you shoot that without shooting him?"

Johnny took a quick measuring glance. "Yessir, I can, but you don't know that and neither does he."

"Go on and do it, Johnny. We need to see." Frank told him with an encouraging nod.

Kitty covered her mouth with both hands but didn't make a sound. Johnny lifted his Winchester, cocked it, and fired almost without seeming to aim. The card in Matt's hand was blown away, but his fingers weren't touched. Still holding the corner of the shattered ace, he walked back to where the four of them stood.

Matt took a long look at Kitty, and then spoke curtly to Johnny Lyon, "Get out of Dodge, Johnny. Pick up your gear at the ranch and then get out of this county. I never want to see you back here again."

Johnny stared at him, and then at the sheriff, and finally at Kitty. "Yes, sir," he said, "I thank you for the second chance, Marshal. I won't be back." He shoved his rifle into the saddle boot, mounted, and rode east out of town.

Frank collapsed, smiling, into one of the chairs outside the Long Branch's doors. "I think I need to rest myself a little while," he said, "Not sure I'm really up to all this yet."

"You want a beer, Frank?" Kitty asked.

"Yes, ma'am, I surely would," he answered. Kitty sat down next to him, and Sam went inside to pull a glass of beer. Matt looked down at them both and shook his head. Still holding the corner of the scorched playing card in his hand, he walked off towards the jail.


	16. Chapter 16: Final Settlements

Chapter Sixteen: Final Settlements

N * O * T * E

$80 in 1878 was worth a significant amount - about $1200 in today's money. A average marshal or sheriff 's salary might be $100 a month – although some earned more and some less. A good prostitute might earn twice that and a saloon girl half that. A cowboy or laborer earned $20 to $40 dollars a month. A good saddle might run $40 or more. A horse, anywhere from $40 to $200. A Stetson anywhere from $18 to $35.

E * N * D * * * N * O * T * E

So, as it turned out after all their troubles, the only testimony needed at Spike Marlow's trial was that of Frank Reardon. The jury barely took time to walk out of the room and then file back in. Judge Beck sentenced Marlow to hang in the prison yard at Hays the following Friday. No mention was made of Ellen Sue Neely or the stolen gold.

Frank and Doc spent the evening at the Long Branch with occasional visits from Matt during and between his Friday night rounds, and from Kitty as she spent a busy evening running the barroom. During one of the times when the four of them were briefly together at a back table, Thaddeus Jones and his dark-haired partner walked up. "We're planning to leave tomorrow, Marshal, Miss Kitty," Jones said, "Wanted to say good-bye."

"Where you headed?" Matt asked, rising to shake their hands.

"Think it might be time for us to head back towards Wyoming, Marshal," Jones said.

Matt nodded, then stole a look at Frank, "Sheriff Reardon and I, we had a little talk with Judge Beck before he left, Jones. He happens to know the governor out in Wyoming. Said he'd write him a letter next week letting him know how much help you'd been to us here." Kitty watched as large smiles split both the young men's faces.

"Never hurts to have friends in high places, Marshal." Joshua Smith commented, "We do thank you." And with that they turned and walked away through the batwing doors.

"Looks to me like there's more going on here than it seems," Doc said, swiping a hand across his moustache.

"Could be, Doc," Matt told him, "But sometimes it's better to just leave things like that alone."

OoOoO

Matt came in from his late night rounds as Kitty was getting ready to close. A smile and a questioning look up the stairs got him a nod and a warm invitation from Kitty's eyes. They walked up together after the last lights were out downstairs, and Matt made a move towards Frank's door, but Kitty caught his hand and shook her head, "I think he's busy, Matt. Don't think they'd appreciate the interruption."

Matt grinned at her, "Stella?"

"Nope, Stella was last night." Kitty said smiling broadly, "There was some discussion between Gabby and Mariah about whose turn it was tonight. Not sure how they resolved that, but I'm pretty sure he's not alone."

"Not sure how he manages that, Kitty," Matt said, "But he usually does."

Kitty shrugged, "He's a good-lookin' man, Matt. He's open and friendly, and he's the law. You could do the same if you wanted. I can't think of a girl at any saloon in Dodge who would turn you down. Or," she added with a wicked grin, "Ask you to pay."

"Now Kitty…" Matt began, but stopped as he heard her chuckling.

"Yeah, Matt, I know, I know. You're looking for more than sex and free drinks, but a lot of lawmen aren't. It's one of the ways the law works in a town like this and you know it." She unlocked her door and ushered him in. Matt turned to lock the door behind them. Kitty raised an eyebrow in inquiry, "You get a lot of offers, lawman?"

"Some," he admitted, "But not as many as I used to. The new girls always have to give it a try." Matt paused a moment, "And some of them make up stories."

"Oh, I do know that, Marshal Dillon." Kitty told him, "You'd be amazed at some of the adventures I hear about."

Matt blushed and Kitty laughed. "Matt, I heard those stories from Kate and Olive back when I first started working at the Long Branch, and I'm _fairly_ sure most of them were just that – stories." She looked up at him shrewdly, "Sometimes I think I might be the only saloon girl in Dodge who doesn't brag about having slept with you."

He swung her into his arms and tipped her chin up, "We okay for tonight, Kitty?" Matt asked, dismissing the previous topic with a lack of interest that warmed her. She'd had to turn him down the last several nights, but was eager to have him with her again.

She kissed him in response, letting him know there was more to come. "Pour me a drink, would you, Matt? And make yourself comfortable." Matt hung his hat and gunbelt and pulled off his boots before moving over to pour them both a drink. He knew that while most of her patrons would swear that Kitty had been drinking throughout the evening, and indeed spent a good deal of time with a glass in her hand, that she usually only actually drank with her close friends, and then very little. Kitty had a hard head for liquor, he'd seen her drink drovers and gamblers under the table when the circumstances called for it, but had an even better head for self-preservation. The glass of good whiskey they usually shared before bed was one way they both relaxed and let down the guards that ruled their behavior outside her room. He watched her undress, knowing she didn't mind him watching, and when she came back from the washroom with her face scrubbed clean, he handed her the glass and began taking pins out of her hair.

It didn't take them long that evening to douse the lights and find their way naked into her bed. Matt ran a hand tentatively over the half healed wound slashing across her ribs, but Kitty moved firmly into his arms. "I'll let you know if anything hurts, Matt, but I want you too much to let that get in the way." It was their first time since returning to Dodge from the cabin, and there were injuries, anger, sadness, and fears to be balanced in the way they kissed, and touched, and stroked each other. They took a long time leading up to it, and Matt finally lay facing her, on their sides, one hand lifting her thigh up across his hip to make room for him to enter her and rock slowly, building it for both of them until they couldn't wait or hold off a single moment more.

Usually they talked some, after, but tonight Kitty was quiet. Awkwardly quiet. All the earlier warmth and teasing gone. After a while, Matt got up and lit the lamp and came to sit on the side of the bed. "You want to tell me about it?"

"Yes, I do," she said, "But it's hard to start." He waited. "You're going to freeze out there, Matt. Get back in bed. I'll try not to make this difficult."

He came back under the quilts, and stroked a hand over her hair, "Is it bad?"

"Not for me, Matt. Maybe for you." Kitty shrugged. "No need to build this up, Matt, I told myself I would just ask you straight out, but that seems harder than I thought it would be."

"Look, Kitty, if this is about us…"

"Well it is, Matt, but it's not about you marrying me, if that's what you think," she looked at him shrewdly, seeming to appreciate the diversion, "And that's what you always think, isn't it? You must have had some difficult conversations in the past if it's always the first thing in your mind when a woman says she needs something from you." Matt tried to swallow that but knew he wasn't going to get it down in one piece, so he put it aside to chew on later.

"Matt," Kitty said at last, "You talk a fair bit about dying. You've made it clear from the beginning that you don't expect to live long. And it hurts me when you talk about that, but at the same time, I know you think you're just being realistic, being fair to me in some way."

"I've never lied to you about that, Kitty," he replied, "I know it's hard on you, and I try not to dwell on it, but it's a fact."

"Well, Matt, now it's time for you to take up the other side of that conversation," Kitty said. "Ever since Ellen Sue died three weeks ago, and I had to pack up her whole life into one wooden box and a carpetbag, I've been thinking about what would have happened if it had been me that Marlow killed."

"Kitty, you don't have to…"

"Yes, Matt, I do," she interrupted him, "And I need you to listen. I really need that from you. There's not much I have to say, but I need to know that you'll listen to me, and that if I do die, that you'll take care of things for me." She reached out to touch his face. "Is that too much to ask, Matt?"

"No, Kitty, it's not." Matt's face was somber and his mind was flying back to a campsite in the hills of western New Mexico where he and Frank had broached a similar topic on the day after he turned eighteen. There had been a campfire and a bottle of whiskey, and both had seemed to ease the way into a difficult discussion. Kitty was still lying silent, not looking at him, so he got back up and stirred up the fire in her small stove, added wood and left the door open so they could see the flames. He poured two more drinks and set them on the table then blew out the lamp and went back to the bed. Taking Kitty's hand to draw her up, and picking up one of the quilts as well, Matt settled the two of them on her small sofa – the quilt wrapped around Kitty and her on his lap and in his arms.

"Doesn't need to be hard, Kitty. I can tell you've been thinking about this. Just tell me what you need." He handed her one of the drinks and watched as she sipped it slowly.

"Okay, Matt. Here it is. I wrote a will this week, and Doc has it put away in one of the cubbyholes of that big ol' desk of his. There's just two points to the will – to see that Bill Pence doesn't steal back my half of the business, and to deal with my father. I'm pretty clear on both points, and I think Bill's covered, but I'm not sure about my father. He could contest the will." She set the drink down and turned to face him head on. "I want it clear beyond any doubt that Wayne Russell gets absolutely nothing from me. Not a penny, not a lock of my hair, not a handkerchief with my initials – damn it, Matt, not even the sound of my name on your lips. Nothing. Burn the place down if you have to, but promise me, _promise me_, that you'll see that happens."

"You going to tell me why, Kitty?" he asked, disturbed by her vehemence.

She shook her head. "Someday I will. Not now. I… I've been asking questions ever since he left here two years ago, but I guess until Ellie died I didn't really want to know the answers, so I didn't ask the right people. Once I did, well, there was a letter came yesterday and another one today. I know now what he did, and I know what I need to do. Can you just take my word for it, cowboy, without an explanation?"

"You know I can, Kitty. You ever want to tell me, you can, but you don't need to." Matt drew a good long breath, "Legal or illegal, outside the law or in it, nothing goes to Wayne Russell. I will not notify him and I will not talk to him if he comes here to find you. That's how it will be. Anything else?"

"Nothing too important. You and Doc read through my papers and notify my people in New Orleans, the friends I'm still in touch with. I want a real grave with a stone and my whole name on it – not Kitty but Kathleen. I want a burying with a preacher – and you tell Doc I said just that if he tries to scare up a priest – just "I am the resurrection and the life" like we did for Ellen Sue." Kitty stopped then, and he felt her relax against him, "And if the Long Branch is still standing, then a round of drinks for the house. That's enough, isn't it? There doesn't need to be more."

"No, there doesn't need to be more, Kitty. I hope I never have to do any of that. I hope you live to be ninety and die with a passel of grandchildren around you, but if it comes to me to do it, I'll see it done right. You have my word."

"That's all I really wanted, Matt. I'm sorry I made such a fuss. We don't need to talk about it again." Kitty picked up what was left of her drink and tossed it off, "Can we go back to bed now?"

"We could…" Matt told her, his hands moving under the quilt to touch her warm, bare skin, "But I thought maybe…" He turned her to straddle him, and kissed her, "If you weren't too cold…"

Kitty's deep throaty laugh pleased him. He knew this was better for them both than trying to move into sleep with that troubled discussion on their minds. "You up for a little something more, cowboy?" she asked.

"Nooo. You kind of scared that out of me, Kitty," he admitted. "But maybe with a little encouragement…" They kissed again and then Kitty's very encouraging hands moved down to find him, and there wasn't much thinking left to do.

Eventually they made it back to the bed, curling together in the darkness and talking with the freedom sated lovers have. "You decided what to do with the reward money, Kitty?" Matt asked. He'd been wanting to know that all week, ever since the officer from Fort Leavenworth had counted out the remaining gold and taken most of it away. He'd left Matt with four hundred and seventy four dollars and had him sign a receipt saying that the reward would be passed over to Miss Kitty Russell of Dodge City, Kansas. The bag of coins was still in his safe at the office.

"What do you think I'm going to do, Matt?" Kitty asked. She'd already made up her mind, but was curious about what he thought.

"I thought maybe you'd buy out Bill Pence." Matt said.

"I did think about it, Matt, but no, I'm not going to do that. Bill and I are getting on better now. I guess I just had to learn to be harder with him – like a real partner – and not keep giving in on things I didn't like the way I did when he was my boss." Matt nodded when he heard that. It made good sense. "I will buy him out, Matt," Kitty went on, "I want the day to come when the Long Branch is mine and I can run it however I want, but, well, I don't feel like that day's here yet."

"So…"

"So you come over after your early rounds Sunday morning, about nine, and you bring Chester with you."

"You know you can't open the saloon that early on a Sunday, Kitty," Matt said.

"Nothing in the law says I can't have a couple of friends over for coffee, is there?" she asked.

"Not that I know of," he agreed. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope. But bring the reward money with you when you come." She wiggled herself back against him, spooning in front of him, both of them damp and a little sticky and not minding at all.

OoOoO

It was Matt's turn guarding Marlow at the jail Saturday night. His prisoner had gone quiet, eating little, commenting less. It was something he saw not infrequently when a man came face to face with his own death, and his own responsibility for that death. Sometimes it bothered him. Occasionally he even tried to talk it out with a particular man, especially the young ones. With Marlow he provided the minimum required and turned his back.

Chester was still snoring when Matt returned from his early morning rounds on Sunday. The town was quiet, the sky was clear, and the rising sun looked like it might give them a warm October day. The morning guard shift was due to change in half an hour, so Matt prodded Chester awake and listened to him yawn and whine while he washed before telling him they were invited over for coffee at the Long Branch in a couple of hours.

"Miss Kitty going to give us breakfast, Mr. Dillon?" Chester asked.

"No, I think she just wants to talk to us about something. She didn't tell me what." Matt said.

"She didn't tell ya?" Chester asked, unbelieving. "I thought Miss Kitty told you most everything, Mr. Dillon."

"Not this time, Chester. Thought you and I'd go over and have some breakfast once the boys get here to look after the prisoner."

Chester yawned prodigiously and agreed that breakfast would be a good idea while pulling on his boots. The thought of an invitation from Miss Kitty even prompted him to a careful combing of his hair.

Kitty had woken early, for her, and heated enough water to make a bath tolerable. Winter was surely coming, and maybe a new and bigger wood stove might be a good investment for part of her share of the reward money. The thought of moving the smaller stove right into the washroom started her humming as she brushed out her wet hair. A glance at the settee where they'd sat, and loved, late into the night put a smile on her lips, but started her thinking about maybe finding another chair, a really big chair, with a high back and lots of padding. A chair big enough for the giant Marshal to actually relax in, maybe with a certain redhead on his lap. Might not be able to find a chair that big, she thought, might have to get Percy to build one.

It was eight thirty by the time she walked down the hall to tap on Frank's door, only to find him just opening it as she approached. A glance into the room gave her a glimpse of Mariah and Gabby curled around each other in the disordered bed. "Frank!" she remonstrated, but he just closed the door behind him with a finger to his lips.

"I might just tell Doc you haven't been getting enough rest," Kitty threatened as they walked down the stairs. She noticed, however, that although he held onto the railing he did put his whole weight on the injured leg.

"You sleep well last night, Kitty?" Frank asked, "Get a lot of sleep, didya?"

Kitty swatted him, and went to make coffee in the little kitchen behind the bar. "You open all the doors you can find Frank, except the front ones. Try and air out this place for once." While the coffee heated, she assembled six cups and saucers on a tray, added spoons and a bowl of sugar, and carried it out to the bar. Matt and Chester had come in through the side alley, and she set them to clearing chairs off the biggest center table, and had to speak firmly to Frank to keep him from helping.

As she came back with the big coffee pot to set on the table, Doc was escorted Ma Smalley in through the back door. Fresh air and a fair amount of early sunshine were beginning to clear away the smell of smoke and whiskey. Somewhat to her surprise, Ma found herself embraced by Kitty and given a firm kiss on the cheek. "Would you pour the coffee, Ma?" she asked, and then, walking back to the table, she held out both hands, cupped together, to Matt Dillon. He placed a bag of coins into them and sat back to see what would happen.

Five pairs of eyes watched Kitty as she poured the bag of coins onto the table and began sorting them. The four silver dollars went in one pile with ten five dollar gold pieces in a stack next to them. Kitty dealt the remaining half eagles out almost like cards into six neat stacks. Matt began to get a bad feeling about what was going on. Chester's eyes got wider and wider as Kitty deftly pushed one stack of coins over to sit in front of each coffee cup. Frank sipped his coffee and watched both her and Matt, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Doc and Ma drank their coffee with carefully assumed indifference.

Kitty took a drink of her coffee and sat watching them all for a bit. Of all the friends she had in the world, these were the closest, and the last three weeks had settled pretty firmly what each of them was willing to do for her. She looked at Chester and remembered his body laying protectively over hers in the center of Front Street as bullets flew. She smiled into Ma's eyes remembering her gentle hands and wise words. Frank's firm arms around her as he told her to take time to cry. Doc's careful stitches and sly scheming - the old army Colt lying next to him as they talked through the dead of night. And Matt. Matt was everything she wanted and everything she had.

"Now the Marshal here's the one who decided that the reward money was coming to me. I'm not sure exactly why he did that, but I agreed to it, and here's how I'm going to spend it." Kitty said, "None of us wanted Spike Marlow to do what he did. None of us wanted Ellen Sue to die. But we've each suffered in our own way for Marlow's presence in Dodge. Money can't make up for that, but sometimes a little money to buy something special can make a person feel good when things are going bad"

Kitty drew a deep breath and let it out, "Here's what we're going to do." She indicated the stack of gold coins still in the center of the table. "That fifty dollars is going for the party we hold here on Christmas Eve. It'll mean more drinks, and more food, and some presents to take around to a few families in Dodge that don't have very much to celebrate with." She accepted their nods of agreement, and moved on. "Those silver dollars will buy a round of drinks for the house next Friday night. Ellen Sue is gone, and Spike will be gone too. One thing doesn't cancel out the other, but it's the best we can do this side of heaven, so we'll raise a glass to Ellie's memory and to the men who brought down her killer."

Kitty saw Chester's face working, and moved on quickly before falling tears embarrassed him. "The rest of the reward, well, we're all going to split that. I've got some ideas for my part that are going to make me a deal more comfortable as winter comes on. Bet you can all think of something you'd like to invest in, and if you can't, well, just save it up for Christmas."

Doc was the first to move. With a studied nod of his head he gathered up the coins in front of him and held his cup over to Kitty for a refill. Ma was next, tumbling the stack of coins into her hand and hefting their weight before dropping them into the reticule she carried. Frank divided up his stack and tucked coins away in various pockets in his pants and vest, sliding one down the side of his boot.

Chester was still counting his out. He had to do it twice, and still seemed hesitant to believe the results. "Miss Kitty, there's eighty dollars here. I aint' never had eighty dollars in my hands all at once in my whole life. I wouldn't know what to do with it."

Kitty reached over and took the top coin from his stack and flipped it at him. Chester caught it neatly in his right hand. "I'll put the rest upstairs in my safe for you, Chester. You just think on it for a while and let me know when you want it."

Chester looked at her in relief, then down at the five dollar gold piece in his hand. "Thank you, Miss Kitty. That's right kind of you." Kitty knew the five dollars would be gone before the week was over, but she hoped that Matt and Doc could talk him into something of more long term value before the rest of the coins followed the first.

Matt reached over for the canvas bag that had held the original hoard of coins and tipped his stack back into it, pulling the drawstring tight. He tucked the bag in his pocket, and Kitty knew it would end up back in the safe at his office. She couldn't imagine what, if anything, he would buy. In Matt's opinion, a man who owned three horses, a saddle, good boots, and several changes of clothes had everything his soul could carry. A few dollars in his vest pocket in small change to buy a drink or a meal or to loan to a friend made life complete. But at least he hadn't refused the divvy. She'd been afraid he would. Kitty felt Matt's eyes on her and looked up fearing to see a sour expression on his face, but found his steel blue eyes warm on hers and accepted the little nod he gave her.

OoOoO

There was only one thing more Kitty needed to do before Spike Marlow was trundled out of town by Frank and Chester the following morning, and she found time to do it as she cooked Frank breakfast that Sunday morning. Frank had declared his intention, despite his lack of good clothes, of heading over to church at eleven, and Doc and Ma had agreed to meet him there. Matt herded Chester out the back door with a look at Kitty that let her know there would be further conversation between them at a later date.

Retiring to the kitchen, Kitty poured Frank more coffee and set about frying eggs and bacon for him. She cut several slices of not-too-fresh bread and fried them next to the eggs. "You not eatin', Kitty?" Frank asked as she brought the plate to where he sat at the small table set against the wall.

"Coffee's usually enough for me," she replied, picking a piece of bacon off his plate and nibbling at it. "I need to talk to you, Frank."

"I'm listenin', Kitty." Frank told her as he began working his way solidly through the full plate.

"This business about you saying things to Matt about me – making like he's not treating me right. That's going to stop, Frank, or you and I will have more than words about it." Kitty told him seriously.

"You going to shoot me maybe?" he asked her around a mouthful of fried bread and bacon.

"No, Frank, I'm not going to shoot you, but don't you even begin to think I won't make you sorry you crossed me." Kitty replied.

They let it set at that while Frank ate. Eventually, his plate empty, he told her, "Kitty, I know things change when one partner takes a woman and the other doesn't. But you need to understand how Matt and I work. Some men, they just don't talk about important things – they only talk about little things. Men like that can come to kill each other over a can of beans because the beans get to standing for something a lot bigger. Matt and me, we've never been like that."

He stopped a while. Waiting, maybe, for Kitty to comment, but she sat silent hearing him out in the way she'd learned to do with Matt. Frank went on, "Matt and I, we got mustered out over in Missouri. Just outside St. Louis. Most of the boys, they set out walking north or east, or to the railroad, or right back into the city to spend their pay. But we two, well we went looking for horses, and we found some, and we argued some, and we spent most of what we had on us to buy two saddle horses and a little jenny mule for supplies. By the end of the day, we'd started west and we just kept goin'. It was a long road, and we had a war behind us. I won't talk to you about the war, Kitty. Can't. Sometimes, not many, I'll find a man I can talk about that with. Now and then, it's Doc. Doc saw more horror than any man could live with and be sane. Matt and I we just lived through what most men did."

Frank regarded her curiously, "Matt still dream about Belle Grove, Kitty?" She looked up at him startled, and nodded her head. It had never occurred to her that anyone else knew about Matt's nightmares. "Nine thousand men died there in one day, Kitty. Nine thousand men. No matter what we do as lawmen, no matter how many outlaws we kill or wound or hang, it can never be like that. God willing, there'll never be battles like that again in this world below." He sighed, "What I'm tryin' to say here is that as we rode west, well, Matt and I each had some things we needed to work out of our minds. Things that needed to move from the front of our thoughts to the back or we weren't going to be able to live with them. So we kind of did that together. He was seventeen that summer. I was nineteen. By the time we got to Arizona around Christmas time, we'd pretty much decided we were going to live to grow up."

"I can't even begin to compete with that, Frank." Kitty told him.

"No competition, Kitty. Never between you and me. I just wanted to let you know how this thing between Matt and I got started. We'd both been raised solid on the Bible, and sometimes it was a lot easier to quote a verse than to say out what we were feeling. Kind of got to be a habit, then it got to be a game. Doc plays it with us sometimes. So when I say something to Matt that sounds like I'm complaining about how he behaves to you, well, I'm just lettin' him know what I see. He knows I don't mean him harm. You need to know that too and not get angry with me."

"All right, Frank." Kitty said, "I'll let this one go. But you have to know that mostly I don't understand what you're tellin' each other unless Doc, well, translates it for me. He did that this week. Sat me down up there in his office and read me the story about David and Jonathan."

Frank's eyes were troubled. "You didn't grow up on the Bible, Kitty? You a heathen?"

But Kitty only laughed, "I grew up Catholic, Frank. I grew up in New Orleans and most everybody I knew was Catholic so it didn't seem odd to me then. I can pray in Latin, long prayers, which I bet you can't, and make an Act of Contrition that will set a priest to crying, but I can't say I ever took it all as serious as people do out here on the plains. And I left all that behind me a long time ago. Mostly."

"Then you get Doc to help you out with the hard parts, Kitty. And you just have to trust me for the rest. Matt and I, it's how we talk. I wouldn't know how to do anything else when there's something I need to say. Wouldn't know where to start."

Kitty sighed and then smiled, "I'm just not used to anyone else loving him, Frank. That might take me a little time."

"How'd you come to figure that, Kitty?" Frank asked.

"I told you Doc read it with me last week, Frank. I may not have been taught it all my life, but I'm a fast learner," and then, slowly, reaching for the words she'd set herself learn as Doc read them, she said, "The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."


	17. Chapter 17: Epilogue

Chapter Seventeen: Epilogue

As she had for the past several years, Kitty Russell held a party on Christmas Eve. There was a tall Christmas tree in the center of the room, and the girls had decorated it with strings of popcorn and dozens of tiny candles set on little tin holders attached to the branches. There were cookies and gingerbread, and a hearty spread of food as well as a big bowl of punch spiked with plenty of whiskey. There was music and dancing, and even some carol singing. Kitty led the festivities with a smile on her lips but a hint of sadness in her eyes. Matt Dillon was still out on the trail, and not expected back for several days. Kitty was grateful that the weather was mild, for December, but disappointed that he wasn't with her for the celebration.

Doc cornered her eventually, late in the evening, and steered her to a table in the corner. "Now Kitty, pay attention to me here," he said taking her hand and pulling her chin around to face him.

A little startled, Kitty shifted her attention from the gaiety in the room around her to concentrate on the face of the elderly man sitting next to her. "I'm sorry, Doc," she said, "I didn't mean to be rude. You say anything you want and I'll listen."

Doc cleared his throat. "I know you miss Matt being here, honey, and I want you to know I appreciate you going on with the party even when it's not what you really wanted."

Kitty smiled at him with real warmth, "Of course it's what I wanted, Doc. Yes, I miss Matt not bein' here, but we always have this celebration, and I look forward to it. Anyway, I've got you!" She leaned forward to kiss his cheek and he patted the hand he held. Doc swished his other hand across his moustache in an impatient gesture.

"Well, Matt had a feeling that things wouldn't work out for him to be here, so he gave me this before he left, Kitty, and he wanted you to have it today." Doc pulled a tiny, flat, velvet box from inside his vest pocket and handed it to her. Kitty looked at the box in surprise. Matt had bought her jewelry before, but this looked special. The mark on the box was from a well-known, and expensive, jeweler in Kansas City, so Matt must have gotten it when he was there last month seeing the Attorney General. "You going to open it, Kitty?" Doc asked her encouragingly.

Kitty would have preferred to open the box in private, or to wait for Matt's return, but if he'd made a point of having Doc give it to her today, then she needed to take a look. She carefully opened the velvet lid and caught her breath. Inside was a pearl, a single, smallish pearl lying against a background of black velvet. But it was a slightly irregular oval instead of round and the color was a deep lustrous pink with tiny striations radiating out from the center. The pearl wore a delicate golden cap that attached it to a long thin gold chain. There was no clasp on the chain, but it was more than long enough to go over her head. Grateful that she had worn a low-cut dress, Kitty quickly reached up to undo the intricate garnet necklace she was wearing and then the matching earrings as well. Tucking them into the pocket of her dress, she lifted the chain over her head and let the pearl settle just above her cleavage. Doc looked closely at the lovely gem, realized where he was staring, and moved his eyes away with just a hint of color in his face. "I've never seen a pink pearl, Kitty, have you?"

She nodded. "I saw them in New Orleans from time to time, Doc. You only find them in the Caribbean. It's a conch pearl, from a special kind of conch shell. Jewelry stores in New Orleans have them, but they're not common. See those little lines, Doc? That's how you know it's a conch pearl." She shook her head, "But how he could afford to buy this…"

"Well, you know, Kitty, he did have a handful of gold from that reward money," Doc commented. Kitty pretended to be struck by that, but she knew enough about jewels to realize that a month's salary must have been added to the gold to pay for this exquisite piece.

Doc was still trying to manage to look at the pearl without staring too ostentatiously at her breasts. Kitty laughed a little, "Go ahead and look, Doc, I don't mind." But, seeing that he wouldn't, she lifted the chain and held the pearl on her hand, letting Doc put on his glasses and examine the gem closely, but when he reached out to touch it she pulled back, and he dropped his hand.

"I'm sorry, Kitty."

A little self-conscious now herself, Kitty shook her head. "No, Doc, it's just…"

But at that point a gust of chill wind rushed through the front door, carrying with it a very tall man wearing a Stetson and wrapped in a muffler and a sheepskin coat. Kitty stood eagerly, and then with careful casualness began a graceful walk towards the bar where the Marshal was being relieved of his hat and unwrapped from his outdoor clothes, by Chester, and handed a glass of good whiskey, by Bill. His eyes, however, had found Kitty walking towards him, and never wavered.

"Hello, Matt," she said, "It's good to have you back early."

"Hello, Kitty," he said, his eyes dropping to the jewel nestled against the curve of her breasts, "I see Doc gave you your present."

"It's beautiful, Matt. I've never even known anyone who had a conch pearl. It's… very special," she said, her eyes meeting his.

Matt reached out a big hand, and gently touched the gem with the tip of one extended finger. Kitty shivered, and her color rose. "I thought about you when I saw it," he said softly, but Doc, standing next to her, heard the words and saw her reaction to the touch. Turning, he moved away down the bar and let Bill pour him a whiskey. He shook his head and downed the drink in a one gulp, more embarrassed by that single inadvertent glimpse of glowing intimacy than he'd been in many, many years.


End file.
